Business

India, Switzerland sign pact on IPR issues

NEW DELHI: India and Switzerland on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on safeguarding intellectual property rights (IPRs). The agreement envisages setting up of a joint committee to develop a dialogue on issues of intellectual property. The MoU was signed by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath and Federal Councillor of Swiss Confederation’s Department of Economic Affairs Doris Leuthard.

Addressing presspersons after signing the agreement, Mr. Kamal Nath said the MoU would benefit closer cooperation between the two countries in fostering the protection and promotion of IPRs. The joint committee would facilitate exchange of views, information and experiences regarding the protection of intellectual property at the national level and dialogue related to international issues concerning intellectual property, he said.

The committee, which will meet once a year in India or Switzerland alternately, will serve as a forum for consultations to address specific issues in the area of intellectual property in the bilateral relations and help in the development of continued institutional cooperation for regular technical exchanges between intellectual property institutes in the two countries. The committee will ensure exchange of experiences between India and Switzerland in training on intellectual property and development of appropriate modules and curricula for such trainings. It will conduct joint studies on specific intellectual property issues and ensure exchange of experiences and best practices regarding the raising of public awareness on the role of intellectual property rights.

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