India, Russia Raise WTO Concerns Over Plastic Trade Rules

New Delhi, Nov 20 (PTI) India has joined Russia to raise a concern regarding potential conflicts between future global rules on trade in plastics products and WTO norms, an official said on Wednesday.

The issue was flagged by Russia during a meeting of a WTO (World Trade Organisation) Committee on Market Access on November 19-20.

Russia has raised concerns regarding potential conflict between future rules on trade in plastics products and WTO rules.

According to Moscow, an upcoming meeting of the UN's Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on Plastic Pollution in Busan, Korea, will consider attempts by some countries to adopt provisions aimed at establishing limits of production, trade and consumption of all kinds of plastics.

It has stated that if such a scenario unfolds, fundamental WTO rules such as bound tariffs, national treatment, most-favoured nation treatment, the prohibition of quantitative restrictions, as well as technical barriers to trade (TBT) and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) rules may no longer apply to trade in plastic materials.

"Saudi Arabia and India echoed the concerns raised by Russia," a Geneva-based official said.

India is a key player in plastic exports. The shipments rose 14.37 per cent to USD 5.21 billion during April-October this fiscal year.

Further during the meeting, Indonesia raised issues with regard to quality control orders issued by India on a number of products, including medical textiles, viscose staple fibres, and footwear made from leather and other materials.

Thailand has flagged concerns on measures that may have unintended results equivalent to quantitative restrictions on the import of copper, wooden boards, and tyres.