Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Jul 3: The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) will hold three days of public hearings next week to examine possible trade action against 60 economies, including India, over what it alleges are inadequate measures to prohibit and enforce restrictions on imports of goods produced using forced labour.
The hearings, scheduled from July 7 to July 9, are part of the USTR's ongoing Section 301 investigations into the trade practices of the countries under review. India is slated to appear on July 8.
Representing Indian industry during the proceedings will be Poornima Shenoy of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Shuchita Sonalika of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). They are scheduled to testify during the eighth panel of the day.
The following session will feature representatives of the Indian government. Dr Brij Mohan from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Shubham Arora of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) are expected to present India's position alongside delegates from Jordan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia and Pakistan.
The hearings will also include submissions from government officials, business groups, labour unions, industry associations and advocacy organisations from several countries, including Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Peru, South Africa, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Vietnam, in addition to stakeholders from various sectors of the US economy.
The public consultations follow a USTR report issued on June 2, which concluded that all 60 economies under investigation had failed either to introduce or effectively enforce prohibitions on imports of goods allegedly produced through forced labour.
According to the report, these practices are considered "unreasonable" and are viewed as placing a burden on or restricting US commerce, making them subject to action under Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974.
The report stated that Canada, Ecuador, the European Union, Indonesia, Mexico and Pakistan have legal provisions prohibiting imports linked to forced labour but have not enforced them effectively.
In contrast, the USTR alleged that the remaining economies, including India, neither have adequate prohibitions in place nor effectively enforce restrictions on such imports.
Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974 empowers the US Trade Representative to investigate foreign trade policies or practices deemed unreasonable, discriminatory or harmful to US commerce. If the investigation concludes that corrective action is warranted, the United States may impose trade measures, including tariffs or other restrictions, subject to approval by the President.