The US Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade

05 May '06

2 min read

Mr. Franklin L. Lavin advised India to lower agricultural tariffs, ensure governance that is free of corruption, a transparent and efficient legal system, a vibrant intellectual property rights (IPR) regime and fully open its retail sector to foreign investment.

Addressing a meeting with Indian trade and industry leaders organized by FICCI here today , Mr. Lavin said while some progress has been made towards creating a more comprehensive framework for IPR protection in India, this country still does not have in place a TRIPS-consistent data exclusivity regime for these products.

"Many perceive an uneven enforcement of India's existing trademark and copyright laws. Indian consumers and businesses deserve the finest IPR protection around.

India should be a global leader in pharmaceutical research and development. But until the IPR laws are world class, R&D will take place elsewhere", he declared.

On its part, the Under Secretary of Commerce said, the US was beefing up its commercial service offices and announced adding a new official position in Kolkata in June to meet the growing needs in India.

Mr. Lavin further announced the opening of the first-ever Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) office in New Delhi which will enable the US to work with India through a philosophy of managed growth in aviation to ensure the highest level of safety, as well as efficiency.

He said, the Indian government's approval of a Memorandumof Agreement with the FAA, once signed, will pave the way for the FAA to work more closely with the Ministry of Civil Aviation to provide technical cooperation, which could include a wide range of activities for air traffic control and safety oversight as well as other types of training and assistance.

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry

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