USTR Seeking Comments on WTO Consultations with Indonesia Over Plant, Animal Imports
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is seeking comments by March 14 on the Jan. 10 U.S. request for World Trade Organization consultations with the government of Indonesia about measures Indonesia imposed on the import of horticultural products, animals and animal products, it said in a Federal Register notice scheduled for Feb. 19. The request is at www.wto.org, document WT/DS455/1. (See ITT's Online Archives 13011114).
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USTR said Indonesia subjects the import of horticultural products, animals and animal products into Indonesia to non-automatic import licenses and quotas, thereby restricting imports of goods. It said an importer must complete multiple steps prior to importing those products into Indonesia, and the licensing regimes "have significant trade-restrictive effects on imports and are used to implement what appear to be WTO-inconsistent measures." It said the multi-step licensing process "appears to be more administratively burdensome than absolutely necessary to administer the measure," and the issuance of licenses appears to be delayed or refused by the Indonesian authorities on "non-transparent grounds."
Comments should be submitted at www.regulations.gov, docket number USTR-2013-0002. Further information: Arthur Tsao, 202-395-3150.