Non-tariff barriers to be taken up in Doha round: Nath

New Delhi, June 1 (UNI) Minister of Commerce and Industry Kamal Nath today spelled out the agenda for the Doha round of WTO talks, emphasising that India would take up the issues of non-tariff barriers and anti-dumping laws.

''The western countries who were the champions of globalisation are no more globally competitive. These countries have in place a string of non-tariff barriers and other such matters,'' said Mr Nath.

The Minister added that the government would protect all industries but not at the cost of losing its competitiveness.

''After 1991 the second stage of reforms has to come from within us,'' said Mr Nath at the Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC) annual award function here.

The Minister said exports, including, engineering exports are likely to face increased non-tariff barriers considering that average tariffs for industrial products in all countries are heading southwards.

''This process has already begun for engineering products and is likely to gain greater momentum as India's share in the world exports in the coming years,'' he added.

Thus, the Doha Round of trade negotiations of WTO is a good oppurtunity for India and other developing countries to leverage such issues, he said.

The Minister said the countries' exporters demand that greater market access and removal of non-tariff barriers in both developed and developing cvountries.

''While the average tariff rate may be low in many developed and the newly emerging countries, the average hide a range of tariff peaks where our exporters have competetive advantages,'' said Mr Nath.

Mr Nath was of the opinion that the Doha round has the potential to redress some of the problems of tariff peaks and escalation particularly in industrial products.

UNI