Quick Reaction to the EU/India FTA (BTiA) Negotiating Text
On 28 March 2013, the EU-India FTA (BTiA) negotiating text was made available here. Below are some of my quick impressions on some portions of the negotiating text.
Month: March 2013
More notes on the India EU FTA (BTIA)
Earlier KEI published sections of the the EU India Negotiating FTA/BTIA negotiating text dealing with enforcement, along with some commentary on Article 17-31: /node/1681.
On March 28, 2013, KEI obtained another document with Article 1-5,7-8,10-33 of the negotiating next. The new text is available at /node/1691
Krista Cox will be providing her impressions here: /node/1693
Here are KEI’s quick reactions to the text.
Among the provisions in the TRIPS which protect consumers are Article 7, 8 and 40.
Negotiating Text, EU/India FTA (BTIA)
This is a copy of the negotiating text for the India-EU Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA), also referred to as the India/EU FTA. It does not include Article 6, which I assume concerns patents, or have any text for Article 9 on Geographical Indications. The text includes country positions. We are not certain of the date of this text. KEI has some commentary at /node/1692
Consolidated draft India-EU FTA (BTIA)
IPR chapter
Art. 1 – Definition [Agreed]
KEI comments to House Trade Subcommittee on U.S.-India Trade Relations
Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) comments
U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Trade, March 13, 2013 Hearing on U.S.-India Trade Relations
Name: James Love
Organization: Knowledge Ecology International
Address: 1621 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20009
Phone Number: 1.202.332.2670
Contact E-mail Address: James.Love@KEIonline.Org
Title of Hearing: U.S.-India Trade Relations
Introduction
India pressured by U.S. Congressional committee, Pfizer, over drug patents
On March 13, 2013, the U.S. House of Representative held a hearing on U.S.-India Trade Relations. Among the several topics under discussion were “the issuance of compulsory licenses, patent revocations, and other policies on pharmaceuticals” in India.
SCOTUS Oral Arguments in FTC v. Actavis; Court to Decide Legality of Pay-For-Delay (Reverse Payment) Settlement Agreements
On Monday, 25 March 2013, the Supreme Court of the United States heard oral arguments in the case, Federal Trade Commission v. Actavis, Inc., et. al. This case had previously been captioned as Federal Trade Commission v. Watson Pharmaceuticals, et. al., but was recaptioned after the combination of Actavis and Watson. KEI filed an amicus brief in support of the FTC which is available here (along with additional background to the case). Continue Reading
KEI notes on the 16th Round of Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) Negotiations in Singapore
The 16th round of negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) took place at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel in Singapore in early March.
March 27, 2013 meeting on IP Chapter of the proposed U.S.-European Union Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership
TACD meeting on IP Chapter for TTIP
On March 27, from noon to 3 pm, the IP Policy Committee of TACD will hold a meeting on the intellectual property chapter of the proposed U.S.-European Union Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).
The meeting will be held at KEI’s offices at 1621 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20009
Analysis of Kirtsaeng v. John Wiley & Sons (Parallel Importation Case); Supreme Court Applies International Exhaustion
Today, 19 March 2013, the Supreme Court released its opinion in Kirtsaeng v. John Wiley & Sons, a case involving the parallel importation of copyrighted works. The case involved the petitioner, Kirtsaeng, purchasing textbooks in Thailand then reselling them in the United States. The Second Circuit held in this case that the first sale doctrine did not apply to foreign made goods, applying national exhaustion principles. Continue Reading
Notes from the March 18, 2013 NIH Call on the ritonavir March-In Request
On Monday, March 18, 2013, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), held a conference call with the four NGOs that filed an October 25, 2012 march-in request for the patents held by Abbott Laboratories/AbbVie relevant to the manufacture and sale of ritonavir, a federally funded invention that is much more expensive in the United States than in Canada, Europe or other high-income countries, and is only available as a co-formulated product with AbbVie’s version of lopinavir. Continue Reading