The Centre for WTO Studies, IIFT New Delhi organized an ‘International Conference on Trade Remedy Measures’ on 9-10 April 2015 in the IIFT campus. The conference was inaugurated by Dr. Surajit Mitra, Director, IIFT in the presence of Mr. J.S. Deepak, Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce and Mr. J.K. Dadoo Joint Secretary and Designated Authority, DGAD.

The International Conference on Trade Remedy Measures was organized with the objectives of encouraging free and frank discussions on several important aspects of imposition of two Trade Remedy Measures viz. Anti-dumping and Safeguards.

A significant share of WTO disputes relate to Trade Remedy Measures and under the mandate of the Doha round of WTO, the Negotiating Group on Rules is engaged in negotiations aimed at clarifying and improving the existing disciplines of the Anti-dumping Agreement. However, there has been a long pause in the Rules negotiations in the WTO and member countries affected by these measures are continuously confronted by the issues, where there is divergence of views on the interpretative aspects of the legal text or due to varying practices of WTO Members. Therefore, the Centre for WTO Studies organized this international conference with the aim to bring together Investigating Authorities of various countries and discuss the contentious issues on the subject.

The conference was attended by Heads/Senior officials of the Investigating Authorities of some of the most prominent users of trade remedy measures, WTO Rules Division, renowned trade law experts from abroad, as well as prominent law firms practicing in trade remedy measures in India. Officials from DGAD, India’s investigating Authority and several members of the industry also participated.

Mr. Johann Human, Director, Rules Division, WTO and some very senior foreign government officials were present viz. Mr. Paul Piquado, Assistant Secretary, Enforcement and Compliance, Department of Commerce of United States of America, Mr. Demos Spatharis, Head of Unit DG Trade-Trade Defence Directorate, European Commission, Ms. Michèle Govier, Chief of Trade Rules, Department of Finance, Canada, Mr. Dale Seymour, Commissioner, Anti-Dumping Commission, Australia, Mr. Marco Fonseca, Director, Department of Trade Remedies, Brazil, Mr. Han Yong, Director of Trade Remedy Investigation Bureau (TRB) of Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), China, Mr. Woon ho Lee, Standing Commissioner of Korea Trade Commission. Also present were Mr. Osamu Umejima, Former Director, Antidumping and Related Rules in Multilateral Trade System Department, Trade Policy Bureau, METI, Japan and Mr. Edwin Vermulst, Partner, VVGB Advocaten, Brussels.

The participation of Indian legal practitioners in the conference reflected a very sound and mature understanding of the legal issues making the conference very interactive on some key issues such as the scope of product under consideration, sunset reviews, anti-circumvention, lesser duty rule and public interest examination. The emerging issue of global value chains and the need for change in the Anti dumping Agreement was also highlighted in the animated discussion.

For details about the programme schedule, please click here.

To download the presentations made at the conference, please click here..

To view the gallery, please click here.

Report on Conference, please click here.