FICCI initiated an Informal Consultative Working Group on Patents, Trademarks and Designs in 2007 under the guidance of Mr. N. N. Prasad, then Joint Secretary of Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The objective of the Informal Consultative Working Group is to provide a platform which can primarily act as a feedback mechanism to the Government in bringing the procedural issues and administrative issues of concerns on board.

The Working Group has met several times and has successfully led to various achievements online availability of digitized patent database”, “enhanced user-friendliness of online filing facility”, “online availability of controller’s decisions”, “streamlining of pre-grant opposition procedures” etc.

Furthering the policy of transparency, Mr. Gopal Krishna, Joint Secretary, DIPP has agreed to chair the Informal Working Group and take this initiative forward.

Task Force on Traditional Knowledge

Indian Traditional Knowledge encompasses huge knowledge base that can be formed as a basis for further research and innovation and hence it is of utmost importance to ensure, recognize and reward equitable benefits to the holders of the traditional knowledge.

During the Round Table, conducted by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) on February 3, 2009, the participants felt that the existing legislations are currently insufficient to provide adequate protection to Traditional Knowledge against misuse/misappropriation and offer equitable benefits to its custodians. It was observed that there was a unanimous consensus on the need for a separate law for protection and regulation of Traditional Knowledge.

In this backdrop and with the approval of the DIPP, FICCI has constituted a Task Force on Traditional Knowledge. Dr. Prodipto Ghosh, former Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of Environment and Forests has kindly agreed to chair this Task Force. The objective of the Task Force is to look into all aspects of Indian Traditional knowledge, consider the scope of protection that exists currently and what new legislation would be required. It would also look at the best practices which can be adopted internationally. The Task Force is expected to submit its report along with a draft enactment, if required, for protecting Traditional Knowledge.

Consultative Working Group on Copyright Issues

Copyright, like all other forms of intellectual property, seeks to strike a balance between the interests of the owner and the society. This balance guarantees flow information to the users, ensuring integrity of the copyrighted work and the owner’s commercial interest. Copyright is an important tool in promoting knowledge and learning and the economic growth of any society. Hence, it is very important to analyze that the balance the Copyright laws seeks to achieve is maintained with changing times, especially in this digital era.

In this backdrop, with the approval of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), FICCI has constituted a Consultative Working Group to analyze the issues involved in the Copyright law. Shri. Amit Khare, Joint Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development has kindly agreed to be the member of the Informal Consultative Working Group. The objective of the Consultative Working Group is to look into the existing provisions of the Copyright law, the proposed amendments as well as into the international arrangements and suggestions. Various recommendations were given by the Group in order to make the enforcement of IP Rights more effective.