§ Lord Lester of Herne Hillasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their position in relation to the draft EC directive on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions.
§ Lord Simon of HighburyThe Government supported the proposed directive for the legal protection of biotechnological inventions at the Internal Market Council on 27 November. Political agreement on the proposal was reached at this meeting.
§ Lord Lester of Herne Hillasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will ensure that there is full consultation before they decide whether to support the draft EC directive on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions.
§ Lord Simon of HighburyThe Commission's second proposal for a directive on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions was circulated for comment in February 1996 to some 50 organisations and interest groups representing consumers, the research community, groups concerned with the social and environmental impact of biotechnology, members of the patent law profession, the industry and the Standing Advisory Committee on Industrial Property, an independent body set up to advise Ministers on aspects of industrial property.
Interest in the Commission's proposal increased after the European Parliament adopted its first Opinion in July of this year. More than 150 organisations were sent copies of the Commission's revised draft of the proposal which was produced in September in response to the Parliament's first Opinion. The comments received from these organisations were taken into account when the United Kingdom supported the proposed directive at the Internal Market Council on 27 November.