(a) whether India has more than 30 ongoing disputes before the World Trade Organization (WTO);
(b) if so, the details thereof and the countries involved therein;
(c) the details of the disputes in which India is a complainant and in which India is a respondent; and
(d) the likely future of the WTO in view of threats from some countries to stop its budget?
THE MINISTER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)
(a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (d) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 357 FOR ANSWER ON 18thMARCH, 2020 REGARDING “DISPUTES BEFORE THE WTO”.
(a) to (c): Currently, India is involved in 15 disputes at the WTO, in which it is complainant in 4 and respondent in 11. The details of these disputes is annexed.
(d) : The WTO’s annual budget is derived from contributions by its Members according to a formula based on their share of international trade. WTO budget for Financial Year 2020 was approved, albeit with some delay, in 2019 which has ensured WTO’s continued operation till December 2020.
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Annexure
As on 16.03.2020
Details of India’s disputes at WTO
India currently has 15 disputes with other members of WTO (4 as Complainant and 11 as respondent) and details of these are as under:
Disputes with the United States-8 (4 each as complainant and respondent)
Japan-2 (as respondent)
Brazil, Australia, Guatemala, the EU, Taiwan (one each as respondent)
A. Disputes where India is a Complaining party (4 cases)
i) DS436 (Countervailing duty by United States on Indian steel products)
Respondent- The United States
ii) DS-503 (Measures by US concerning non-immigrant visas)
Respondent- The United States
iii) DS-510 (Sub-Federal Renewable energy programmes of US)
Respondent- The United States
iv) DS-547 (Certain measures by US on Steel and Aluminium products)
Respondent- The United States
B) WTO disputes where India is a Responding Party (11 cases)
v) DS-430: (Prohibition by India on Import of poultry and poultry products)
Complainant – The United States
vi) DS-456 (India’s Measures Relating to Solar Cells and Solar Modules under National Solar Mission dispute)
Complainant – The United States
vii) DS-518 (India’s safeguard measures on import of iron and steel products)
Complainant – Japan
viii) DS-541 (India’s Export Promotion Schemes)-Complainant-United States
Complainant – The United States
ix-xi) DS579, DS580 and DS581 (India-Measures Concerning Sugar and Sugarcane)-
Complainants- Brazil, Australia and Guatemala, respectively
xii-xiv) DS582 and DS584, DS588 (India-Tariff Treatment on Certain Good in the Information and Communications Technology Sector)-
Complainants- EU, Japan and Taiwan, respectively
xv) DS-585 (Additional duties on certain products from US)-
Complainant– The United States
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