Inter-Ministerial Standing Group
As per
EXIM Policy announced on 31.03.2001, a Standing Group consisting
of Commerce Secretary, Revenue Secretary, Secretary (MSME),
Secretary (AHD) and Director General of Foreign Trade had been
created. The said group is functioning as a "War Room" for tracking,
collating and analysing data on sensitive items including items
sensitive to MSME Sector. Import data concerning MSME sector
is being regularly monitored for taking appropriate action wherever
required. |
Liaison with Other Ministries & Departments
WTO Cell
is maintaining a close liaison with other concerned Ministries
and Departments like Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Directorate
General of Foreign Trade, Directorate General of Anti-dumping
& Allied Duties, DG (Safeguard), so as to keep updated with
regard to WTO Agreements and to protect the interests of MSMEs.
Various vital issues, which
arose due to the Fourth WTO Ministerial Conference Doha, were
dealt with. The sixth WTO Ministerial Conference has been held
in Hong Kong. As per outcome of Hong Kong WTO Meet, this Ministry
is providing inputs regarding domestic regulations, revised
request/offers and Govt. procurement on trade in services under
GATS,information concerning SSSBEs to Ministry of Commerce(
administrative ministry to deal with matters pertaining to WTO),
from time to time to protect the interests of MSMEs .
Similarly, inputs to Ministry
of Commerce and Industry, Department of Commerce were also sent
in regard to various Bi-lateral Trade Agreements under which
negotiations are going on for exchange of tariff concessions.
These Agreements are SAARC Preferential Trading Arrangement
(SAPTA), Agreement on Economic Cooperation between India & ASEAN
countries (Brunei Darussalem, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,
Myanmar, Phillipines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam), India -
Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA),
Preferential Trade Agreement between India and MERCOSUR (Created
by Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay), Agreement on SAFTA
and its Implementation (TLP), Preferential Trade Agreement with
Chile, Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with GULF co-operation Council
(GCC), PTA between India & Mauritius under Framework of Comprehensive
Economic Partnership Agreement, India-Thailand FTA, BIMSTEC-FTA,
Negotiations under Global System of Trade Preferences (GSTP)
and on Environmental Goods under Para iii Doha Ministerial Declaration,
Bilateral trade with Bangladesh, India-US Commercial Dialogue
to promote investment and trade Proposal for construction of
land custom station (LCS) of Arusa on Indian side of LOC with
Pakistan for trade in certain items, sectoral proposals for
tariff liberalization for different sectors under NAMA negotiations
at WTO, India-Korea CEPA negotiations, Grant of market Economy
to China, FTA with Israel, India-Japan CEPA negotiations, Agreement
with South African Custom Union (SACU) and India-EU bilateral
relations and trade negotiations, inputs on Draft Cabinet Notes-
a Draft Cabinet Note on India-Mauritius PTA, finalisation of
PTA between India and Republic of Chile, Draft Note for Cabinet
Committee on Economic Affairs in r/o Unilateral Tariff Preference
Scheme for the Least Developed Countries, Amendment of India-Singapore
CECA and on Implementation of SAFTA (TLP) for consideration
of Cabinet committee etc. |
