[Ip-health] Immidiate Press Release on India EU FTA

[Shadi Razmdjou]

INDIA EU FTA TALKS THIS WEEK AMIDST SECRECY
AGRICULTURE, MEDICINES, FINANCE AT STAKE

25 January, New Delhi - India is hosting European Commission=E2=80=99s (EC)=
 trade officials this week (25 -29 January) to negotiate a bilateral free t=
rade agreement with the European Union (27 European countries) by the end o=
f 2010.  This is the eighth round of negotiations with the EC.

Even as the texts and the content of the deal are being kept secret, at sta=
ke are major demands of the EC relating to Intellectual Property (IP), agri=
culture, agrochemicals, finance, banking and insurance sector and softening=
 of rules relating to foreign investments and capital flight.
Last year the central government signed FTAs with ASEAN and Korea in comple=
te secrecy without consulting parliamentarians, the state governments or th=
ose who stand to be most affected.

India=E2=80=99s key positions in the World Trade Organization (WTO) also st=
and to be undermined on various issues.  These include concerns regarding i=
ntellectual property and keeping non-trade issues such as foreign direct in=
vestment out of international trade policy rules.

 =E2=80=9CThe demands of the EC for data exclusivity, IP enforcement and pa=
tent term extension go beyond the scope of the WTO=E2=80=99s Trade-Related =
Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement. This will create=
 barriers in the manufacture and registration of affordable generic medicin=
es affecting millions in the developing world who depend on India=E2=80=99s=
 exports for access to treatment.  We strongly oppose FTAs with the EU for =
that reason,=E2=80=9D said Loon Gangte of the Delhi Network of Positive Peo=
ple.
=E2=80=9CIn agriculture, farmers=E2=80=99 right to use and exchange traditi=
onal seeds for cultivation will be severely restricted if India has to rati=
fy UPOV 91.  Women will be particularly affected given their role as tradit=
ional seed keepers and users,=E2=80=9D said research fellow Ranja Sengupta =
from CENTAD.
An analysis  of agricultural trade patterns shows that India will not gain =
any market share in EU markets but a large section of its small farmers, wo=
men farmers and labourers may lose livelihoods as EU will increase its agri=
cultural market share in India.

The EC wants the total elimination of customs duties on a large number of a=
gricultural products. =E2=80=9COpening up agriculture markets for Europe wh=
ere agriculture is dominated by large agribusiness, suffering from over pro=
duction and exports are heavily subsidized will have a devastating effect  =
on India=E2=80=99s self sufficiency in food production and on farmers and f=
arm workers.  There should not be any secrecy in dealing with these FTAs, f=
armers are demanding transparency at all levels. We are extremely worried a=
bout dairy products, for example,=E2=80=9D said Kannaiyan, a representative=
 of the South Indian Coordination Committee of Farmers Movements.

In addition, the EC wants raw materials from India for EU companies leading=
 to easier access to natural resources and land which will exacerbate ongoi=
ng land and livelihood struggles in the country.  =E2=80=9CIf the deal goes=
 through it will provide access to Indian waters to Europe=E2=80=99s domina=
nt fishing fleets.  India=E2=80=99s traditional fishing communities living =
along 7517 kms of coastline will be pitted against European fishing and foo=
d processing corporations, threatening their very existence.  We strongly o=
ppose this deal that threatens the livelihoods of estimated nine million fi=
sh workers including a large number of women,=E2=80=9D said T. Peter, Presi=
dent of Kerala Independent Fishworkers Federation (KSMTF).

=E2=80=9CIn finance, among other demands, the EC wants India to open up its=
 banking and insurance sector which will lead to de-regulation of the kind =
that led to the current global economic crisis. The European financial serv=
ices firms see domestic regulations in India as a biggest obstacle to their=
 business expansion plans in the country,=E2=80=9D said Kavaljit Singh, dir=
ector of Public Interest Research Centre.
Because of their far reaching consequences, public interest groups want muc=
h greater transparency and public debate on all bilateral trade agreements =
that India is negotiating.


Editorial Note:

For a leaked February 2009 draft of some chapters, please see: http://www.b=
ilaterals.org/article.php3?id_article=3D14864

For additional news and resources on the EU-India FTA, see:  http://www.bil=
aterals.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=3D163

For other research and analysis on the EU India FTA, see:
http://www.forumagainstftas.org/Resources/EU_india.htm

--
Jetzt kostenlos herunterladen: Internet Explorer 8 und Mozilla Firefox 3.5 =
-
sicherer, schneller und einfacher! http://portal.gmx.net/de/go/atbrowser