PRLog (Press Release) –
Mar 03, 2008 – Swissmem, which represents the engineering industry, surprisingly announced its support for the continued ban on parallel imports for patent-protected goods.
Schneider-Ammann, Swissmem President, explained that the organisation wants them lifted in the long term, but only when the conditions are right.
"Parallel imports are fine as long as they are based on reciprocity with the European Union. As long as the EU as a bloc has restrictions it is normal that the Swiss do the same," he told swissinfo.
"We still hope for a lifting of the ban as soon as possible because it would bring down costs in Switzerland. But the time is not right at the moment."
The issue has been hotly debated by the Swiss parliament this year with a number of changes to the current law being proposed.
These include allowing the agricultural sector to import cheaper products into Switzerland and reducing the time products can stay under patent protection.
Opponents of allowing such imports say they will damage innovation in Switzerland and open the country up to pirated copycat goods manufactured in other nations.
Swissinfo
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