India and 5 countries to lose US trade benefits

WASHINGTON, Dec 20: Six countries -- including Brazil, India and Venezuela -- could lose duty-free access to the US market for some of their key exports under a revamped US trade program signed into law on Wednesday by President George W Bush, US trade officials said.

Thailand, Ivory Coast and Philippines could also lose trade benefits because of recent changes Congress made to the U.S.

Generalized System of Preferences program for developing countries, the U.S. Trade Representative's office said.

REUTERS