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Government mulls over review of TRIPS pact; Gene Campaign to step up drive against Patents Act

India must create a multi-lateral vehicle for technology transfer on terms that are affordable to developing countries. There should also be a review of the Trade and Intellectual Property Rights agreement.

These views were expressed at a seminar by the commerce ministry's N N Khanna, special secretary in charge of matters relating to the World Trade Organisation, in New Delhi early this week.

"We are still to make up our mind on the exact position regarding issues of investment agreements and industrial tariffs," Khanna said. "We are pushing for stronger stands on the Convention of Biological Diversity and a review of the TRIPS agreement," he said.

Khanna said developing countries must evolve a set of criteria on eco-labelling in terms of transparency and avoid the effects of trade barriers. So far, little progress has been made in eco-labelling.

Economist Dr Neela Mukherjee said the millennium round of multilateral trade negotiations at the World Trade Organisation is fast approaching. One agreement, which is of great significance, is the General Agreement on Trade in Services which covers services relating to critical infrastructure like telecommunications, computer software, banking, insurance, health, tourism, transport and business.

The new round of negotiations in trade in services is scheduled to begin in 2000. "It is important to take stock of GATS, assess it, and derive major lessons for the coming round of negotiations. The upcoming ministerial conference of WTO towards end-1999 will provide broad signals to the issues that will dominate the future course of multilateral trade in services," Mukherjee said.

In a related development, Gene Campaign, a group working on intellectual property rights, has regretted the passing of the Patents (Amendment) Bill in Parliament and warned against bringing in IPR legislation that fails to protect the interests of Indian farmers and consumers.

Several meetings were recently held at various places in Kerala by the group to generate public awareness about the IPR issues facing India as the WTO review awaits to be formalised this year.

Dr Suman Sahai, convenor of the group, said the broader issues relating to the IPR regime like the Patents Act, bio-diversity legislation, Plant Variety Protection Act, and the need for legislation on geographical indication to protect products like basmati rice and Darjeeling tea and the patenting of micro-organisms were discussed during the meetings.

Dr Sahai said people voiced concern over the ill-effects of the Patents (Amendment) Bill which means a severe setback to the Indian pharmaceutical and drug industry and higher drug prices for the consumer.

People expressed fears about the future when medical aid would become more expensive, she said.

Gene Campaign plans to organise similar meetings in various other states to help crystallise people's views on the impending IPR legislation. The next series of meetings is being planned in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

UNI

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