Global Day of Action: EU-India FTA – 2 MARCH 2011

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Global Day of Action: EU-India FTA – 2 MARCH 2011

Dear friends,

On 2 March 2011, more than 5000+ representatives from People Living With HIV in

India, Network of People who Use Drugs and 500+ health activists from across

India and Asia pacific region are holding a protest against the India-EU Free

Trade Agreement at New Delhi.

Patient activist groups and civil society representatives from other countries,

including Nepal, Indonesia, Thailand and Philippines are also coming to India to

meet with Indian government to express their concerns.

This protest rally starts at Ramlila Ground at 10 am and reaches at Jantar

Mantar to voice their concerns against this FTA.

The protest is directed against the stronger Intellectual Property provisions

being demanded by the European Commission in the India-EU Free Trade Agreement,

which may hamper access to cheap, life-saving, quality medicines for patients

not just in India but many other developing countries around the world.

The groups are demanding that the following provisions be removed from the

negotiations:

1. DATA EXCLUSIVITY, as it will not permit the placing of affordable versions of

new formulations like pediatric doses of " off-patent " medicines on the market by

the Indian Drug Controller.

2. INVESTMENT RULES, as it will enable foreign companies to take Indian

government to private courts over domestic health policies like tobacco warnings

and measures to reduce prices of medicines

3. BORDER MEASURES, as it will deny medicines to patients in other developing

countries with custom officials seizing generic medicines in transit.

4. INJUNCTIONS, as it undermines the independence of the Indian judiciary to

protect right to health of patients over pharma profits.

5. OTHER IP ENFORCEMENT MEASURES, as it puts third parties like treatment

providers at risk of police actions and court cases.

The next round of negotiations between India and European Commission will take

place end of this month in Brussels. The EU-India FTA negotiations are set to be

concluded by spring 2011.

Press Conference

The protest will be followed by a Press Conference at Foreign Correspondent Club

from 2pm onwards.

Mr. Anand Grover , UN Special Rapporteur on Health will address the media and

share his concerns about the grave danger this FTA may bring to the countless

human lives in developing countries by drying up the source of good and

affordable medicines. The other panellists will include representatives from

International Treatment

Preparedness Coalition, Oxfam India, Asia Pacific Network of Positive People and

Indian Network of Positive People.

In solidarity, the International Treatment Preparedness Coalition, Asia Pacific

Network of Positive People, Asian Network of People who Use Drugs (ANPUD), World

Vision, Lawyer's collective, Oxfam India and Médecins Sans Frontières – Campaign

for Access to Essential Medicines are calling for a global day of action against

the EU-India FTA on 2 March 2011..

How you can join:

1. Organise your own rally: You can organize rallies or demonstrations in front

of European Commission offices in your countries to voice your opposition to

their aggressive negotiations on intellectual property in FTAs. Don't forget

that the EU is also negotiating FTAs with many developing countries and making

the same demands.

2. Take Action: You and your organization can also support our rally actively.

The more organizations speak out for our cause, the louder our message will be

heard. Send your logo, your statement, banner, posters etc. to us and we will

make sure, that your organization will be part of the protest.

3. Donate: In order to organize this protest, we rely on funding. Any financial

support is welcome. If you know organizations, which are interested in funding,

if you want donate to our protest, please contact us.

4. Raise awareness: Even though you might not be able to support our rally

financially or physically you can help us by spreading the word about our

concerns.

5. Write to the Indian Prime Minister, health minister and commerce minister (We

can add his mail ID or Fax number): You can also write to the Indian Government

asking it to stay strong and not give in to the demands of the European

Commission. India, as the pharmacy of the developing world, has an obligation to

its citizens as well as patients across the world.

We plan to meet the aggressiveness of the European Commission with our peaceful

rally.

There is too much at stake. Join us NOW!

To know more about the debate going on around the India-EU FTA, please read the

following articles:

Don't Swallow this Pill, Times of India, Jan 19' 2011

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Dont-swallow-this-pill\

/articleshow/7312903.cms

Indian Prime Minister Must Resist European Pressure To Trade Away Health,

Medical News Today, Jan 13' 2011

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/213584.php

Don't Swallow this Pill, Indian Express, Jan 27' 2011

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/dont-swallow-this-pill/742546/

Please Contact for further clarification to,

· Loon Gangte – Email – loon_gangte@...

· Leena Menghaney - E Mail – leena.menghaney@...

· Manoj Pardeshi - Email – manojpardesi@...

--

In Solidarity

Manoj Pardeshi

National Coordinator,

International Treatment Preparedness Coalition-India (ITPC-India)

Board Member,

Network Of Maharashtra By People Living With HIV (NMP+)

401 Ganga Prestige Arcade, Laxmi Road, 612 - A, Nana Peth,

Pune, Maharashtra , India, Pin 411 002

Phone - +91 20 2633 6083 +91 20 2633 6083 or 84 or 87

Cell - + 91 9923 797 326 + 91 9923 797 326

Skype ID - manoj.pardesi1

www.nmpplus.net

www.itpcglobal.org