India-US WTO for not complying verdict on steel duty

The WTO's dispute settlement body has agreed to set up a panel to determine whether the US complied with the rulings of the multi-lateral body related to imposition of high import duty on certain Indian steel products.

In June 2017, India moved the World Trade Organisation (WTO) against the US, alleging that America has not complied with the rulings of the multi-lateral body related to imposition of countervailing measures on certain hot-rolled carbon steel flat products from India.

"The WTO's dispute settlement body agreed to the establishment of the compliance panel," an official said.

India has stated that the reasonable period of time for the US to comply with the WTO's ruling had expired on April 18, 2016.

After that India requested for consultations with the US under the aegis of the WTO.

Consultations held in July and October last year failed to resolve differences between the two countries on the matter, prompting India to submit its request for establishment of compliance panel.

According to the WTO, America has said that there was no basis for suggesting that the US compliance was inadequate.

The US has also stated that it was prepared to engage in the proceedings to show why India has no legal basis for its claim.

In December 2014, the World Trade Organisation had ruled against the US imposing high duty on imports of certain Indian steel products.

The WTO's appellate body had ruled that the high duty imposed by the US on the certain Indian steel imports was inconsistent with various provisions of the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures.