[Ip-health] Statement from the French Trade Minister on the upcoming Indian Patents Bill.

[Mike Palmedo]

Statement from the French Trade Minister on the upcoming Indian Patents
Bill.

Paris, December 16 2004

Fran=E7ois Loos pleads for India to keep playing an active role in
supplying medicines to least-advanced countries

During his trip to India on December 6-10, Fran=E7ois Loos, French
Minister for Foreign Trade, commended to the Ministers of Trade and
Finance - Mr Nath and Mr Chadambaram - India's efforts to make its
patent protection law compliant with international intellectual property
agreements.

"France hopes that the Indian law will ensure a level of intellectual
property protection faithful to the TRIPS Agreement, which will
facilitate foreign investment as well as protect Indian inventions"
Minister Loos explained. Both Indian Ministers indicated to him that a
law to this effect would be adopted by next January 1st.

The Minister also recalled that he is pleading for a rapid transposition
into European Community law of the agreement on medicines of August
2003. He has just written to the European Commission to that effect.
Fran=E7ois Loos also invited India to put its manufacuting capacities at
the disposal of countries with no such capacity for the fight against
health crises.

"France is very attached to the continuance of India's role as a
provider of generic medicines to least-advanced countries, notably in
the fight against AIDS. I hope that India will take the necessary steps
for implementing the August 30 2003 agreement on medicines in the spirit
of its adoption in Geneva, and that the triggering treshold for
compulsory licensing can be lowered" the Minister pleaded with his
Indian counterparts.

Contact :
Sophie GUILLON - Communications Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Trade
Telephone : +33.(0)1 53 18 46 57 - Fax : +33.(0)1 53 18 97 39
Mobile : +33.(0)6.81.58.99.03
Mail : sophie.guillon@cabinets.finances.gouv.fr