A trade official based in Geneva said that countries like Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the European Union have voiced concerns at the WTO regarding the rising number of quality control orders (QCOs) being issued by India across industries like toys, tyres, auto parts, chemicals, and petrochemical products, many of which seem “protectionist in nature.”
The four members of the WTO Committee on Trade in Goods remarked earlier this week during a meeting in Geneva that some of India’s QCOs might not be in compliance with WTO standards because they looked to be instruments to safeguard domestic industry.
Although they would need to apply for permission for their wares in India, foreign vendors may find it difficult to follow the QCO mandate, but it is equally difficult for Indian sellers. Indian producers would adhere to strict quality norms. The government had to postpone the QCO’s implementation for specific products, such as toys, because the domestic market at the time was not prepared to accept the new requirements.
