New
Delhi: The European Union has said that it was willing
to examine some "unwanted" barriers to trade
after India raised the issue of non-tariff barriers to
some of its exports including ayurveda products.
"We
take Indian concerns regarding market access very seriously.
If there are any unwanted barriers we are examining it.
If we can't justify them, we will take action," said
Peter Mandelson, EU trade commissioner. Mandelson said
he was not aware of general problems of market access
but if there were specific issues the European Union would
look into it.
At
the same time, the EU wanted India to provide greater
market access to its wine and spirits and lift the ban
on its poultry products. India has very high import duty
on wine and spirits and the EU's trade commissioner has
threatened to take up the matter with the WTO. Mandelson's
observations came after prime minister Manmohan Singh
hit out at the EU for making its market increasingly difficult
to penetrate for Indian exports.
Singh
cited non-tariff barriers on export of Indian ayurveda
products to EU and wanted this European Commission directive
to be looked into.
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