Indonesia protests Indian antidumping move
Indonesia protests Indian antidumping move
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia will lodge a formal protest to the
World Trade Organization (WTO) against India's move to impose
antidumping duties on Indonesian polyester fiber (POY) products.
The Association of Indonesian Synthetic Fiber Producers
(APSyFI) secretary-general Risa Bhinekawati said here on Tuesday
that India's decision to impose a temporary antidumping duty of
between US$0.327 and $0.441 per kilogram had been taken in
contravention of WTO regulations.
She said, however, that India had yet to send an official
notification to the Indonesian government of its decision.
"The information was obtained from an article in a Bombay
newspaper, and a customs notification sent in by one of APSyFI's
customers in India on April 12," Risa said in a statement.
She claimed that India had unilaterally imposed the duty
without considering the arguments put forward by Indonesia, as
well as Taiwan, and Thailand --- the other two countries on whose
products the duty was imposed.
"After the public hearing in India on Jan. 23 -- which was
attended by representatives from the (Indonesian) Ministry of
Trade and Industry, APSyFI, as well as those from Taiwan and
Thailand -- India should have responded to the objections raised
by the three countries," Risa said.
Furthermore, India had not given enough time for Indonesia to
respond to the allegations contained in its letter dated Nov. 10,
2000.
"(The letter) was only received by the Indonesian producers
between Nov. 27 and Dec. 12 due to postal problems in India,"
Risa said, adding that the Indian government had insisted on the
deadline of Dec. 20.
"This is against article 6.1 of the WTO regulations where the
party accused must be given a minimum of 30 days and an extension
in which to respond," she said.
Efforts by Indonesia to clarify the matter, both through
APSyFI and its commercial attache in India, had also gone
unheeded by the Indian designated authority, she added,
explaining that according to the WTO any dumping allegations must
be proven and an investigation had to take place before the
imposition of a duty.
All three countries -- Indonesia, Thailand, and Taiwan --
could prove that their exports had not caused any damage to the
Indian market, and therefore the duty should be lifted, Risa
said.
About 10 Indonesian POY producers will be affected by the
duty, as well as exports worth US$14 million in 2000, she added.
(tnt)