[Reader-list] [Open Invitation] Third National Colloquium on economic and social implications of the new patent regime.

[Pankaj kaushal]

January 13, 2005

Sub: Third National Colloquium on economic and social implications of
the new patent regime.

Dear Friends,

The new patent regime brought into effect from 1.1.2005 has serious
economic and social implications. The new regime was introduced
through promulgation of the Patents (Amendment) Ordinance 2004
bypassing the Parliamentary procedures usually followed for enactment
of such an important legislation. Government will now have to
introduce a Bill to replace the Ordinance during the budget session of
Parliament. That would provide the last window of opportunity to
introduce modifications and amendments to the new patent law with a
view to protecting public interest to the extent possible.

Ignoring the niches of flexibilities available in the TRIPS and Doha
Declaration, many vital public interest provisions either have been
left out or not incorporated fully in the Ordinance. Concerns have
been expressed about the short-comings not only by the knowledgeable
people, mass organizations and concerned industry associations in
India but also by international organizations and global peoples'
movements.  It is widely apprehended that under the new patent regime,
the supply of essential drugs and pharmaceuticals at affordable prices
from manufacturers in India to the poor , particularly in the third
world, would be disrupted. WHO (Geneva) and a large number of
non-governmental organizations in South East Asia, Americas, Europe
and Africa have expressed their concern in this regard to the highest
authorities in our country.

The new patent regime has serious and far-reaching implications for
vital areas such as pharmaceuticals, agriculture, bio-diversity and
information technology. These concerns need to be addressed.

National Working Group on Patent Laws, Research Foundation for
Science, Tech. & Ecology and Transform India Group are jointly
organizing one day National Colloquium to deliberate on the critical
issues raised by the new patent regime, in the Lecture Hall in the
Annexe of India International Centre on February 1, 2005.  The
programme of the Colloquium will be as follows :

Forenoon session :

New Patent Regime and its implications	10.00 am to 12.30 pm

Press briefing				12.30 pm		

Afternoon session :

Implications of extension of the new	2.00 pm to 4.00 pm
patent regime to software, plant
varieties, micro-organisms, etc.

You are invited to kindly participate and enrich the deliberations.  A
line confirming your participation is requested. Relevant material on
the topics would be made available only between 9.30 - 10.00 am.

(S.P. Shukla)				(Vandana Shiva)	(B.K. Keayla)
Chairman, Transform India Group	Director, RFSTE	Convener, NWGPL
Co-chairman, NWGPL

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For further information and to register, please try:

Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology
A- 60, Hauz Khas
New Delhi, India 110016
Ph +91-11-26968077, 26853772, 26561868
Fax: +91-11-26856795, 26562093