DGS, DGAD merged into new DGTR for streamlining trade remedies

In a move to streamline the process of trade remedies, the government has created the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) in the Department of Commerce, merging the Directorate General of Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) under the Commerce Ministry and the Directorate General of Safeguards (DGS) under the Finance Ministry, an official statement said on Wednesday.

Apart the DGAD and DGS, quantitative restriction (QR) safeguards functions discharged by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) have also been merged in to the DGTR created by an amendment to the rules made on Monday, a Commerce Ministry release said.

"Presently, the trade defence mechanism in India lacks optimality and takes more than a year to complete proceedings in cases pertaining to unfair trade practices.

"Currently, the DGAD deals with anti-dumping and CVD (countervailing duty) cases, DGS deals with safeguard measures and DGFT deals with QR safeguards. The DGTR will bring DGAD, DGS and QR functions of DGFT into its fold by merging them into one single national entity," it said.

"The DGTR will function as an attached office of Department of Commerce. The recommendation of DGTR for imposition of anti-dumping, countervailing and safeguard duties would be considered by the Department of Revenue.

"The DGTR will also provide trade defence support to our domestic industry and exporters in dealing with increasing instances of trade remedy investigations instituted against them by other countries. The creation of DGTR will provide a level playing field to the domestic industry," it added.

The ministry also said that in the last three years, India had initiated more than 130 anti-dumping, countervailing duty and safeguard cases to deal with the rising incidences of unfair trade practices and provide a level playing field to domestic industry.

Trade remedies are allowed under global trade norms to safeguard domestic industries from cheap imports.

--IANS

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