The dispute settlement body of World Trade Organisation (WTO) has agreed to set up a panel to assess if high customs duties imposed by the US on certain steel and aluminium products infringes global trade norms, an official said.
India had approached Geneva-based WTO for setting up of the dispute panel as both the countries failed to resolve the issue in a bilateral consultation process under the dispute settlement mechanism of the WTO.
"The dispute settlement body has agreed to establish a panel to rule whether additional duties imposed by the US on imports of certain steel and aluminum products comply with WTO rules," the official added.
Consultation is the first step of the dispute settlement process at the WTO. If the two countries are not able to reach a mutually agreed solution through consultation, a country can request for a WTO dispute settlement panel to review the matter.
Imposition of high import duties on these items by the US has impacted exports of these products by Indian businesses. India has alleged that the US move is also not in compliance with global trade norms.
Besides India, Russia, Norway, Canada, Mexico, Switzerland, and European Union have also dragged the US in the WTO on Washington's move to impose 25 per cent and 10 per cent import duties on certain steel and aluminium products, respectively, which triggered global trade tensions.
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