Eu To Seek Support On Farm Trade Talks

Preference to Pakistan will come up in talks

India is set to raise vexed bilateral issues like extension of the generalised system of preferences (GSP) benefits provided to Pakistan under the drug window waiver regime and also seek a review of anti-dumping practices adopted by EU.

EU, on its part, will try to forge an understanding with India on farm negotiations at the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

The issues are scheduled to be raised during European Union Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy's interaction with the Indian delegation led by Commerce and Industry Minister Arun Jaitley during his two-day visit to India beginning on Wednesday.

 

EU is also peeved at some of the issues under article XX and XXI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and is expected to raise them during bilateral discussions.

On the multilateral front, officials said during his meeting with Agriculture Minister Ajit Singh, Lamy would explore the possibility of getting India's support on farm negotiations because EU is of the opinion that the two sides had a common point of view on various aspects on the negotiating table.

They said India proposed to raise the issue of GSP benefits on rice that had been extended to Pakistan. India is opposed to Pakistan's proposal on basmati rice where it has said export should be in terms of variety from a particular region.

India on its part does not want that basmati varieties should be distinguished on the basis of regions.

This issue has been on India's agenda since the benefits were extended under the drug window waiver system following the US decision to launch an offensive on Iraq in 2001. India has even gone to the WTO