WTO members refer objections to U.S. GPA modification to arbitration

The countries objecting to the U.S. push to exempt essential medicines from its procurement commitments at the World Trade Organization this week escalated their challenges in what is likely to be the first test of the Government Procurement Agreement’s arbitration procedures. The U.S. last November notified the WTO that it intended to exclude a selection of essential medicines and medical inputs from its GPA coverage. While the notification was submitted under the Trump administration, a subsequent submission with additional information...