RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE WT/DS50/2
22July1996
ORGANIZATION(96-2865)
Original: English
INDIA -PATENT PROTECTION FOR PHARMACEUTICAL
AND AGRICULTURAL CHEMICAL PRODUCTS
Request toJoinConsultations
Communication from theEuropean Communities
Thefollowing communication, dated 10July1996, from thePermanent Delegation ofthe
European Commission tothePermanent Mission ofIndia, thePermanent Mission oftheUnited States
andtotheDispute Settlement Body, iscirculated inaccordance withArticle 4.11oftheDSU.
_______________
Pursuant totheprocedures laiddown inArticle 4.11oftheUnderstanding onRules and
Procedures Governing theSettlement ofDisputes (DSU), theEuropean Communities andtheirMember
States wishtobeincluded intheconsultations under Article 64.1oftheAgreement onTrade-Related
Aspects ofIntellectual Property Rights inconjunction withArticle XXII:1 ofGATT 1994 requested
bytheUnited States byacommunication circulated toWTO Members on9July1996 (Doc. no
WT/DS50/1 andIP/D/5). these consultations concern theabsence intheRepublic ofIndia ofeither
legislationpermittingpatentprotectionforpharmaceuticalandagriculturalchemicalproductsorlegislation
setting upasystem topermit thefiling ofapplications forpharmaceutical andagricultural chemical
product patents andasystem togrant exclusive marketing rights insuchproducts.
TheEuropean pharmaceutical andagro-chemical industry hasimportant export interests in
theIndian market. Theactual amount ofthese interests is,atthisstage, difficult toevaluate because
theRepublic ofIndia doesnotprovide foreither patent protection ortheabove-mentioned filing and
marketing systems.