ISDS Case Map
India
The proposed agreement between India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to open up investments and services sector has met with resistance from some members of the 10-nation bloc who are concerned that free movement of professionals will impact their own workforce.
People in Asia living with HIV and who depend on affordable generic AIDS medicines to stay alive have impressed upon the Indian government to stand strong against European Union demands on the sensitive Intellectual Property (IP) chapter in ongoing Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations.
Thousands of people with HIV and cancer marched through the streets of India's capital Wednesday to protest a planned trade deal with the European Union that they claim would restrict access to affordable medicines.
India will sign a comprehensive economic partnership agreement with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) by the end of this year, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma said Wednesday.
Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee is expected to announce a slew of import duty cuts in Union Budget 2011-12 to fulfil the commitments in India’s free-trade agreements (FTAs).
John Clancy, spokesperson for the European Commission’s trade directorate, told Business Standard this week’s talks would focus on “tariffs and services”.
People living with HIV from across Asia who depend on affordable generic AIDS medicines to stay alive will urge the Indian government to stand strong against European Union demands on the sensitive intellectual property chapter in ongoing free trade agreement negotiations.
The EU's proposed trade agreement is riddled with intellectual property provisions that would harm India's 2005 Patent Act and block public-interest rulings such as the Aluvia decision.
The Association of Indonesian Palm Oil Producers has called on the government to speed up negotiations of a free trade agreement with India to protect Indonesia’s palm oil market following last week’s India-Malaysia free trade agreement.
"It’s like an ant fighting an elephant. We are one of the weakest and poorest groups and they (the EU and the pharmaceutical industry) are among the richest and strongest."
