The commerce ministry is working on a web platform for exporters to register complaints regarding the non-tariff barriers they face and seek government’s intervention in addressing them, a senior official said.
Apart from the web portal, a cell to deal with the non-tariff barriers is being set up in the department of commerce which will collect all the complaints and then, if required, take them up in their discussions or negotiations with the officials of the countries which impose those barriers.
“We are making a portal so that we can prioritise all the NTBs. Traders will register their complaints and the ministry will pursue that. Cases where the barriers are impacting a large volume of a goods trade will be prioritised for their redressal and action taking,” the official added.
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Most non-tariff measures (NTMs) are domestic rules created by countries with an aim to protect human, animal or plant health and environment. NTM may be technical measures like regulations, standards, testing, certification, pre-shipment inspection or non-technical measures like quotas, import licensing, subsidies, government procurement restrictions.
When NTMs become arbitrary, beyond scientific justification, they create hurdles for trade and are called NTBs (non-tariff barriers).
The non-tariff barriers have been flagged as one of the key factors that come in the way of India realising full potential of free trade agreements with countries like Japan, Korea and members of Association of SouthEast Asian Nations. Other countries where NTBs are faced are the US, countries of the European Union and even Saudi Arabia.
In EU products like chillies, tea, basmati, bovine meat, fish and chemical products are targets of these barriers. In Japan sesame seed, shrimps, medicines, apparel, in China food, meat, fish, dairy and industrial products, in the US fruits and shrimps are among products that see the application of non-tariff barriers, according to an analysis by Global Trade Research Organisation (GTRI). “India’s exports are far below potential as most producers face non-tariff barriers in the EU, US, China, Japan and Korea,” it said.
According to the trade policy think tank India must engage with partner countries and be prepared to retaliate if unreasonable standards or rules continue to obstruct imports from India.
The hindrance posed by non-tariff barriers on India’s export performance is a critical challenge.India needs to fast track action on non-tariff barriers to realise trillion-dollar merchandise export target,” GTRI said.
From: financialexpress
Financial News
