DGTR sets up help desk and facilitation centre for full utilisation of trade remedial measures

The DGTR, an arm of the commerce ministry, has set up a help desk and facilitation centre to ensure optimal utilisation of available trade remedial measures aimed at curbing unfair trade.

The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) is an investigation arm of the ministry which deals with anti-dumping duty, safeguard duty, and countervailing duty.

These duties are trade remedy measures, provided under an agreement of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to its member countries.

They are used to provide a level playing field to domestic industry in case of dumping of goods, significant increase in imports, and subsidised imports.

"The Help Desk and Facilitation Centre is an institutional arrangement to facilitate optimal utilisation by different stake holders of available trade remedial measures aimed at curbing unfair trade," the DGTR said in a notice.

Functions of the desk centre include dissemination of information to domestic industry regarding various trade remedies/procedures, forms and applications and providing guidance regarding the most suitable trade remedial measure.

It would also hand-hold the domestic industry, especially those belonging to MSME (micro, small and medium enterprises) sector, in filing trade remedial applications.

Besides, it would disseminate information regarding other non-tariff (or duty) measures available to the domestic industry and advise them about how they could avail those measures.

It added that the desk would guide the domestic exporters facing trade remedial investigations in other countries.

"The Help Desk and Facilitation Centre shall function between 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on all working days. It can be contacted on the Toll Free No: 1800111808 and by email on - helpdesk.dgtr@gov.in," it added.