June 8, 2015
WTO removes India restrictions on US poultry imports
The World Trade Organisation has paved the way for the lifting of a ban on US poultry imports imposed by India in 2007 over bird-flu issues, after it ruled that the ban violated international trading norms.
In its decision issued on Thursday, the WTO's appellate body concurred with the panel's findings that Indiaviolated the world trade body's agreement on sanitary and phytosanitary measures as the import restrictions did not meet international standards and was not based on a scientific risk assessment.
In 2012, US contested India's trade measure ostensibly to block the spread of avian influenza before the WTO.
US Trade Representative Michael Froman welcome the win, saying it "will help us eliminate unjustified trade barriers, so US farmers can sell high-quality US agricultural products to customers around the world".
A US industry study says the reentry of US poultryand poultry products into the Indian market could boost exports by as much as US$300 million.
The WTO decision had an immediate effect. The US is expected to impose trade sanctions if India fails to remove the restrictions.