§ Mr. RedwoodTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the Government's policy on a repairs clause for the Parts Design Protection Directive. [26378]
§ Mrs. Beckett[holding answer 30 January 1998]: Last summer, when the Council adopted its Common Position on the proposed Directive on the legal protection of designs, following unanimous political agreement on this proposal at the Internal Market Council in March 1997, the United Kingdom made a formal statement regretting that the Council had been unable to agree harmonised provisions relating to the repair of complex products, such as motor vehicles and motorcycles. The proposed Directive is now to be the subject of conciliation which is likely to start during the current United Kingdom's Presidency.
§ Mr. RedwoodTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to seek to amend the Parts Design Protection Directive to allow competition in the supply of motorcycle parts. [26379]
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§ Mrs. Beckett[holding answer 30 January 1998]: The Council's Common Position on the proposed Directive on the legal protection of designs as agreed last year already includes a provision allowing Member States to provide for competition in the supply of motorcycle parts. The Common Position gives Member States the option of maintaining in force or introducing any provision to allow anyone to copy the design of a part of, for example, a motorcycle, when that design is dependent on the appearance of the motorcycle and the copy part is used to restore the motorcycle's original appearance. This proposed Directive is to be the subject of conciliation which is likely to start during the United Kingdom's current Presidency.