New Delhi: Government today (Dec 3, 2004) said all views and concerns will be taken into consideration suitably before finalising the Patent (Amendment) Bill, 2004.

"All views and concerns will be taken into consideration suitably before finalising the said amendment," Minister of State for Commerce E V K S Elangovan said in a written reply in Lok Sabha.

He said under the TRIPS (Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights) agreement of the World Trade Organisation, India has an obligation to amend the Patents Act, 1970 to provide for patent protection in all fields of technology with effect from January 01, 2005.

To another query, he said Government was working out the details for setting up of a Joint Study Group on a possible Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement between India and Russia.

On a query with regard to import of non-ferrous metals scrap policy, the Minister said there were no differences of opinion between Finance Minister and the Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

"There is no difference of opinion between the Finance Ministry and the DGFT with regard to import of metal scrap and waste," he said.

To another query, he said Government would introduce the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Bill, 2001 in Parliament only after taking into account the concerns of various trade bodies as well as concerned Ministries.