India rejected FTA demands for data exclusivity (GS Paper 3, Economy)
Why in news?
- India has rejected the demand for ‘data exclusivity’, as part of ongoing discussions with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) towards a free trade agreement.
Details:
- Data exclusivity pertains to a clause in the draft agreement that puts a minimum six-year embargo on clinical trial data generated during the testing and development of a drug.
- Thus, manufacturers interested in making a copy-cat product would have to generate such data on their own, which is an expensive proposition, or wait out that period before applying to register and sell their version in India. Crucially, this could also apply to drugs that are not patented in India.
- India’s generic drug industry has over the years made affordable versions of expensive drugs and become a large, global supplier itself, and such a clause could hamper the industry.
Persistent demand:
- Demands for data exclusivity have consistently cropped up since 2008 from the European Union and the EFTA; Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Lichtenstein as part of trade negotiations with India, but these have been consistently rejected.
- Switzerland is home to several prominent pharmaceutical companies, some of whom have been involved in litigation in India over generic drugs.
- Concerns that such a clause would affect the availability of new drugs had prompted medical rights group Medicins Sans Frontiers (MSF) to write to Indian Prime Minister on the potential harm from India accepting data exclusivity provisions.
India & EFTA:
- India and EFTA have been negotiating the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement since January 2008. The 21st round of negotiations was held in January on chapters including trade in goods, rules of origin, trade and sustainable development, intellectual property rights, and trade facilitation.
- In FY23, India’s exports to EFTA countries stood at $1.92 billion and imports at $16.74 billion.
Global meet urges India to augment pulses production to meet nutritional needs
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
Why in news?
- The Global Pulses Conference, an annual meeting of pulse producers, processors and traders, has suggested India to augment production of pulses to meet the nutritional requirements.
Details:
- The two-day conference was jointly organised by the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED) and the Global Pulse Confederation (GPC).
- India has taken adequate measures to improve pulses cultivation in the country by increasing the minimum support price regularly. Over the last decade pulses production has grown by 60% from 171 lakh tonnes in 2014 to 270 lakh tonnes in 2024.
MSP in pulses:
- The Centre has assured a price of 50% over the actual cost of production to our farmers, thereby providing an attractive return on investment.
- The MSP is the highest today with increases as high as 117% in masoor, 90% in moong, 75% more in chana dal, 60% more in tur and urad over the amount provided a decade back.
Pulses production in India:
- India has become self-reliant in chickpeas (chana) and many other pulses crops, with only a slight deficiency remaining in pigeon peas (tur) and black gram.
- Consistent efforts are being made to attain self-sufficiency in pulses by 2027.
- The government has increased the supply of new varieties of seeds, while also focusing on expanding cultivation of tur and black gram.
Way Forward:
- India will benefit from the global conference with sharing of the best practices and technological advancements in the field from other countries.
CMS COP14, Action plans for African-Eurasian migratory landbirds, other avian species adopted
(GS Paper 3, Environment)
Why in news?
- The 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP14) adopted an action plan for improving the conservation status of migratory landbird species in the African-Eurasian region recently.
- The CMS COP14 is being held at Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
Key Highlights of AEMLAP:
- The adoption of African-Eurasian Migratory Landbirds Action Plan (AEMLAP) also included annexes in the resolution urging the Parties and encouraging non-Parties and stakeholders to implement it on priority.
- It also included the adoption of the 12-year multi-species action plan for vultures.
- For parties, it urged the stakeholders to address habitat loss and degradation concerning the migratory landlord species.
- It directed that the objectives be met by developing policies aimed at maintaining, managing, and restoring its habitats in collaboration with local communities and other African partners, such as the poverty alleviation community.
- It urged parties and non-parties to collaborate with relevant agencies, organisations and local communities to prevent harmful land use and land use changes that would have a negative impact on biodiversity in the African-Eurasian flyway region.
Action plan for other species:
- In another discussion on avian species, the summit adopted action plans for species such as far eastern curlew, Baer’s pochard and European roller submitted to CMS COP12.
- It also adopted Action Plan for Great Bustard in Asia and International Single Species Action Plan for the Conservation of the Christmas Island Frigatebird submitted to CMS COP14.
- During discussions, it expressed concerns about the conservation status of the Indian Skimmer (Rynchops albicollis). It noted issues about its riverine and coastal habitats and its possibility of extinction in southeast Asia following its severe decline identified in early 2020.
- India and Bangladesh have submitted a joint proposal to list the species under the CMS and development of the international Single Species Action Plan.
Way Forward:
- The CMS COP14 highlighted the need to urgently address the concerns of illegal and unsustainable killing and trade of species during their migration and wintering through natural conservation legislation.
- It further urged the Parties and encouraged non-Parties to prevent poisoning of these migratory birds by agriculture pesticides and veterinary chemical treatments.
