India To Seek Changes In Wto Terms

India will seek amendments to some World Trade Organisation (WTO) agreements at the special general council meeting in Geneva on September 24 and 25. Commerce ministry officials said India would take an aggressive stance on several issues.

The decision to hold this special meeting this month was taken in May. The meeting is expected to take up issues related to implementing agreements and the built-in agenda following the Marrakesh, Singapore and Geneva meetings. It will also make recommendations for the next WTO ministerial meet scheduled for the end of next year.

India has been arguing that although the TRIPs agreement envisaged a transition period of 10 years for India, as a developing country, to introduce product patent protection in pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals, the obligation under Article 70.9 to grant exclusive marketing rights for patents at any time after the coming into force of the agreement, effectively neutralises the transition period.

Similarly, in the area of geographical indications, additional protection available to wines and spirits is not applicable to region-specific products of developing countries and that higher protection should be accorded under Article 23 of the TRIPs agreement.

The government is also of the view that full benefits of the special and differential treatment in these agreements have not accrued to developing countries because clear guidelines had not been laid down on how they are to be implemented.

The imbalances in the TRIPs agreement and its tilt against holders of indigenous knowhow needs to be corrected, India feels.

The government has also sought a provision for transfer of environment-friendly technology and processes on reasonable terms to developing countries built into the TRIPs agreement. This will help meet timed targets for adherence to environmental norms as laid down in multilateral environment pacts.

Several inequities remain in the agreement on agriculture. For instance, while the majority of developing countries are prohibited from using export subsidies, developed countries are allowed to use them provided budgetary outlays on them are within their reduction commitment.

The government may also raise the issue of market access for professionals from developing countries. It has also pointed out that the textiles agreement is in favour of developed nations.