Discuss FTA talks with EU in Parliament: CPM to govt

Economic Times | 24 May 2010

Discuss FTA talks with EU in Parliament: CPM to govt

NEW DELHI: Taking exception to “extreme secrecy” in negotiations on the India-EU free-trade agreement (FTA), CPM has asked the Manmohan Singh government to discuss all proposals and drafts in Parliament and with states before taking any further step. Listing out its apprehensions on the agreement, CPM said it will allow EU to dump subsidised European farm products in the Indian market, affect access to medicines, seeds and food and impact India’s manufacturing sector.

“The UPA Government is set to conclude negotiations on the India-EU free-trade agreement by October 2010. Despite this having far-reaching consequences, the negotiations are being conducted with extreme secrecy and keeping the Indian Parliament and state governments in the dark,” the CPM polit bureau said in a statement released on Sunday.

It said the FTA sought to lower Indian tariffs to zero or near zero levels for 90% of agricultural products while leaving untouched the huge subsidies in the EU. “This will allow EU to dump subsidised European farm products in the Indian market. We have already seen the impact of such FTAs on Indian agriculture with cheap palm oil imports destroying domestic production,” it said.

On Intellectual Property, it said the EU is asking for TRIPS plus provisions and rewriting of Indian patent and copyright laws. “That the government is even discussing the rewriting of such laws with the EU shows the scant respect the current UPA Government has for the Parliament,” it said.

According to the party, accepting product patents for drugs and pharmaceuticals under TRIPS has already restricted the access to cheap medicines for the Indian people and more “pro-monopoly and pro-corporate steps” being demanded by EU — extension of patent life by five years, reduction of farmers rights in favour of agri-business, data exclusivity, etc — will harm the interests of the people further.

CPM said the EU wants India to brand as “counterfeit” all pharmaceutical products that are not in conformity with EU’s patent laws that India exports to other countries through its territory.

source : Economic Times

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