DOHA, Nov 12: The head of the WTO general council is later on Monday to present an amended draft declaration to WTO ministers who are meeting here to forge an agenda for new trade liberalization talks, a European source said.

The amended text drawn up by Hong Kong Ambassador Stuart Harbinson would incorporate progress on several difficult issues reported to have been made here in overnight negotiations, he said.

The revised World Trade Organization draft would include new wording on a controversial patent section dealing with access to generic medicines by poor countries battling public health crises.

A senior US trade official said ministers were close to agreeing a new interpretation of the WTO patent protection agreement — trade related aspects of intellectual property rights (TRIPS).

A European source close to the negotiations confirmed that WTO ministers meeting here early Monday had agreed in principle on a compromise over access to cheaper drugs for developing countries.

It would also re-word text on the environment, where the European Union has campaigned for fresh negotiations on how trade impacts the environment, the source said.

The United States, Australia and some developing countries argue that new talks on the environment were unnecessary because WTO agreements already contain sufficient provisions on the subject.

Ministers from the 142-member body have gathered in the Qatari capital in a bid to agree an agenda for a new series of negotiations to bring down barriers to trade.

The original draft declaration was drawn up by Harbinson and WTO chief Mike Moore in Geneva ahead of the five-day ministerial conference in Doha.

It urged an existing WTO committee to continue its work, including identifying any need to clarify WTO rules.

But the committee’s powers are limited to making recommendations on changes.—AFP