(a) whether India has any trade disputes with any of its trading partners;
(b) if so, the names of such trading partners and nature of trade disputes;
(c) whether the World Trade Organisation was approached by India for the settlement of such trade disputes; and
(d) if so, the reaction of the WTO and the progress made in the case of each of such disputes?
MINISTER FOR COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY ( SHRI MURASOLI MARAN)
(a) to (d) Yes, Sir. There are some trade disputes we have with certain trading partners. India has approached the Dispute Settlement Body of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for settling of some of them. Some of our trading partners have also complained to the WTO against India in certain cases. The present status of all these cases in the Dispute Settlement Body of WTO where India is either the complaining country or the country complained against, is given in a statement which is laid on the Table of the House.
There are other cases where India is seeking to resolve the outstanding trade disputes through bilateral consultations, which is a continuous process, failing which the Dispute Settlement Body of the WTO may be approached, if necessary.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2030 TO BE ANSWERED ON 4.8.2000 REGARDING TRADE DISPUTES.
Status of Disputes in Dispute Settlement Body of WTO between India and other countries as on 1st August, 2000, is as follows:
S.No. Subject of the Dispute Complaint by Against Status
1.India`s quantitative restrictions on EC India AmicablySettled. imports on agricultural, textile and industrial products.
2.India`s quantitative restrictions on Australia India Amicably Settled imports on agricultural, textile and industrial products.
3.India`s quantitative restrictions on Canada India Amicably Settled imports on agricultural, textile and industrial products.
4.India`s quantitative restrictions on New Zealand India Amicably Settled imports on agricultural, textile and industrial products.
5.India`s quantitative restrictions on Switzerland India Amicably Settled imports on agricultural, textile and industrial products.
6.India`s quantitative restrictions on USA India Lost by India imports on agricultural, textile and industrial products.
7.Absence in India of patent protection/formal EC India Lost by India system for pharmaceutical and agricultural chemical products
8.Restrictions on export of products EC India Continuing including raw hides and skins.
9.Quantitative restrictions on imports of India Turkey Won by India textile and clothing products
10.Patent protection for pharmaceutical USA India Lost by India and agricultural chemical products
11.Ban on importation of shrimp and India USA Won by India shrimp products imposed by the US
12.Measures affecting imports of Women`s India USA Settled and girl`s wool coats
13.Transitional safeguard measures affecting India USA Won by India imports of woven wool shirts and blouses.
14.Import regime on Automobiles India Poland Settled
15.Application of Cumulative Recovery System India EC Continuing
(CRS) for India`s exports of rice.
16.Anti-Dumping actions on unbleached India EC Continuing cotton fabrics(UCF)
17.Anti-Dumping proceedings against import India EC Continuing of Cotton type Bed-linen.
18.Concerning certain measures affecting the EC India Continuing Auto motive sector - Auto policy
19.Import restrictions maintained by India EC India Continuing for reasons other than Article XVIII:B of GATT 1994
20.A series of customs duties increases EC India Continuing implemented by Indian authorities
21.Anti-dumping duties imposed by South India South Africa Continuing African Authorities on imports of anti-biotics from India
22.Concerning certain measures affecting USA India Continuing the Automotive sector -Auto policy