The Commerce and Industry Ministry on Friday constituted a six-member think tank to draft the National Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) policy.
The panel, to be chaired by retired Justice Prabha Sridevan, will identifies areas in IPRs where study needs to be conducted and furnish recommendations in this regard to the Ministry, an official statement said. The expert group, set up by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), will also advise the government on best practices to be followed in trademark offices, patent offices and other government offices dealing with IPRs to create an efficient and transparent system of functioning in the said offices.
As per the terms of reference, it would provide views on the possible implications of demands placed by the negotiating partners and prepare periodic reports on best practice followed in foreign countries.
It will keep the government regularly informed of the developments taking place in IPR cases, which have an impact upon India’s IPR policy, it said. The statement further said that it will examine the current issues raised by industry associations and those that may have appeared in media and to give suggestions to the Ministry on such issues.
Other members of the expert panel are: Pratibha M. Singh, Senior advocate; Punita Bhargava, advocate; Unnat Pandit, Cadila Pharmaceuticals; Rajeev Srinivasan, director, Asian School of Business; and Narendra K Sabarwal, retired DDG, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
The decision assumes significance as the Obama administration in the recent times has been strongly criticising India’s investment climate and IPR laws, especially in the pharmaceuticals and the solar sectors.
The panel would also give suggestions on the steps that may be taken for improving infrastructure in intellectual property offices and tribunals, it said. It will also highlight anomalies in the present IPR legislations and to advice possible solutions to the Ministry.
