Intellectual Property, Competition, and Regulatory Policies: A Case of Bt Cotton Seed Industry in India

Abstract

This paper explores the relationship between intellectual property rights, competition laws and regulatory policies in case of Bt cotton seed industry in India. Using timeline analysis, the paper tracks the events to understand the temporal scope and inter-temporal dependences of the events. This study illustrates that interaction of business model and regulatory policies resulted in anti-competitiveness in the industry. The study shows multiple regulatory enforcements due to the lack of clarity and foresight. Lack of clear legislative framework, specific criteria for assessment, transparency and public involvement in the regulatory decision-making process has led to these multiple enforcements.