Widening of India-Aus trade pact: DPIIT seeks stakeholders views on IPR

The commerce and industry ministry has sought suggestions from various stakeholders on intellectual property rights IPR issues in the proposed comprehensive free trade agreement between India and Australia.The initial part of the agreement - ECTA - has already been finalised and that would come into force from December 29 this year.

The commerce and industry ministry has sought suggestions from various stakeholders on intellectual property rights (IPR) issues in the proposed comprehensive free trade agreement between India and Australia.

The initial part of the agreement - ECTA - has already been finalised and that would come into force from December 29 this year. Now both countries would start negotiations to widen the scope of that pact.

In a communication to all stakeholders, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) said India is intending to initiate negotiations on a comprehensive economic cooperation agreement with Australia.

This would be a transformation of the Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) signed between India and Australia on April 2, it said adding towards this end, this department is required to have a scoping paper on IPR describing its contours.

It added that ''considering Australia to be a different market altogether, it is requested to provide your valuable inputs in respect of your area of concern and key asks which stakeholders would like us to take up with Australia''.

The DPIIT has provided a set of questions on which it has sought comments till December 12.

It has sought comments on the areas of IPRs that are prime considerations for stakeholders in the context of the India-Australia Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement. It also sought views on areas that stakeholders think the government should focus on with respect to IPR in its collaborative efforts with Australia.

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