From the Malta Independent Daily: Generic pharmaceutical companies are exploiting gaps in international patent rights to develop and stockpile drugs. For example, Malta and Iceland appear to be serving as safe-havens.
Asked by this newspaper why Pharmaco chose to locate its production base here, managing director Stenthor Palsson said that Malta, like Iceland, fell outside the patent jurisdiction of a number of pharmaceutical products.
(Thanks to PHOSITA for the link).
Update (April 20, 2004) As a followup on its story, the Independent is now reporting that “Malta to join the European Patent Office.”