» India-Japan FTA
India and Japan are expected to sign an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), i.e. a FTA, soon. The tenth round of negotiations on the Japan-India EPA was held in October 2008 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, in Tokyo. According to the representatives of the Indian Department of Commerce, negotiations are almost complete. With elections in Japan now over, the 11th round of negotiations will take place on Tuesday, September 29, 2009, in New Delhi. These negotiations were launched in February 2007.

Crucial concerns regarding this agreement include implications on access to medicines as Japan is pressing for ‘data exclusivity’, which, if granted, would increase costs and delay the process of bringing generic drugs into the market. Regulations on government purchases as well as the opening up of India to waste dumping at low or zero tariffs are other crucial concerns emanating from this FTA. Most of the agreements that Japan has negotiated also include patenting of micro-organisms, opening up sensitive sectors like investments in retail, financial services, and the elimination of tariffs on import of agricultural and manufactured goods, while refusing to negotiate on high domestic agricultural subsidies themselves, and key concessions on investments.

India, Japan to start fresh talks on 29 September
Live Mint | September 23, 2009
India and Japan will start a fresh round of talks on a FTA on 29 September after discussions in January remained inconclusive because the countries failed to find common ground on a few contentious issues. India wants greater market access for its pharmaceutical firms, while Japan has been pressing for a bilateral agreement on government purchases.

Make it a criminal violation: Japan
DNA | June 29, 2009
India is negotiating one with Japan in which there are several provisions that could hamper effective marketing and exports of low-cost generics. Japan is pressing for 'data exclusivity', but a bigger demand from Japan is stringent enforcement of intellectual property (IP) laws, including criminal procedures against patent infringement.

On health implications of FTAs, also see:
Unhealthy effects of FTA
The Asian Age | September 14, 2009

Free trade deals to push up cost of medicines
India Today | September 6, 2009