WTO Committee Hears Complaints on Argentina Import License Regime
Argentina’s non-automatic licenses and other measures on a range of imports continued to cause concern among some delegations, many complaining that their countries’ exports to Argentina have suffered, at a meeting of the World Trade Organization’s Import Licensing Committee on April 27, 2012.
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The WTO said Argentina countered that the statistics show imports from most of these countries continue to rise. According to the WTO, Argentina referred Committee members to its previous explanations that the licensing requirements conform to the WTO’s Import Licensing Agreement and are legitimate for promoting economic development at a time of international economic crisis.
Committee members also questioned Vietnam about its import licensing regime, India about its licensing for boric acid and for marble and similar stones, and Indonesia about its licensing for animals, animal products and fruit and vegetables, said the WTO. They asked about details of how the licensing works and expressed concern that the processes are unclear and in some cases have not been notified to the WTO.