NATIONAL SEMINAR
ON ANTI-DUMPING AND SUBSIDY ISSUES FROM
TOMORROW
In the
context of WTO negotiations on Anti-Dumping and Subsidies Agreements,
the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry,
is organising a 2-day (28-29 August) National Seminar for obtaining
inputs and suggestions that could be taken up by India during
the negotiations. Shri Murasoli Maran, Union Minister of Commerce
& Industry, will be inaugurating the National Seminar here
tomorrow.
The
Doha Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO)
has provided for negotiations aimed at clarifying and improving
disciplines under the Agreements on Anti-Dumping and Subsidies
and Countervailing Measures, while preserving the basic concepts,
principles and effectiveness of these Agreements. In the initial
phase of the negotiations, participants are to indicate the provisions,
including disciplines on trade distorting practices that they
seek to clarify and improve in the subsequent phase.
These
negotiations are currently being undertaken in the Negotiating
Group on Rules (NG Rules). A decision has also been taken to organise
four meetings of the Negotiating Group in the year 2002. While
two meetings have been held on 6-8 May, 2002 and 8-10 July 2002,
the remaining two meetings of the NG Rules would be held on 16-18
October 2002 and 25-27 November 2002.
The negotiations
on WTO Rules affords an opportunity to address issues arising
out of anti-dumping and countervailing duty action against our
exports by seeking possible amendments in some of the provisions
of the two agreements. At the same time, it would need to be ensured
that the flexibility available to protect our domestic industry
from injurious dumping is not curtailed.
The National
Seminar would seek to identify specific provisions for amendments
during the ongoing negotiations. Eminent experts and practitioners
in the field of Anti-Dumping and Subsidies Agreements have been
invited to make presentation during the National Seminar.
