India

India Loses GSP Preferential Status Effective June 5, 2019

In a sudden announcement after 8pm on Friday May 31, 2019, the President made the anticipated decision that India was to be removed from the Generalized System of Preferences (“GSP”), effective June 5, 2019. The statement issued by the White House claims that the President had “determined that India has not assured the United States that India will provide equitable and reasonable access to its markets.” The end of the GSP eligibility and removal of India’s developing country status comes after holding that status for approximately 30 years and is a deepening indication of the U.S.’s increased protectionist stance in the global trade environment. To see our full post on India losing its GSP status, click here.

Investigations

  • Glycine from India: On May 1, 2019, Commerce released its final determinations for both the Antidumping Duty and Countervailing Duty Investigation.
  • Glycine from the People’s Republic of China: On May 1, 2019, Commerce released its final affirmative Countervailing Duty determination.
  • Glycine from Japan: On May 1, 2019, Commerce issued its final Antidumping Duty determination.
  • Large Diameter Welded Pipe: On May 2, 2019, Commerce issued an amended final affirmative antidumping determination and antidumping duty order to the following countries: Greece
  • Turkey
  • Republic of Korea
  • Certain Quartz Surface Products from the People’s Republic of China: On May 23, 2019, Commerce released both the final affirmative Countervailing Duty and final affirmative Antidumping Duty determinations.

In a sudden announcement after 8pm on Friday May 31, 2019, the President made the anticipated decision that India was to be removed from the Generalized System of Preferences (“GSP”), effective June 5, 2019.  The statement issued by the White House claims that the President had “determined that India has not assured the United States that India will provide equitable and reasonable access to its markets.” The end of GSP eligibility and removal of India’s developing country status comes after holding that status for approximately 30 years and is a deepening indication of the U.S.’s increased protectionist stance in the global trading environment.  Last month the U.S. ended Turkey’s preferential status.

The U.S. is expected to make an announcement on whether India will retain eligibility under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program within the next two weeks according to unidentified sources cited by Reuters. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) is currently reviewing the eligibility of Indian products for duty-free entry into the U.S. under GSP as a response to petitions from the dairy and medical device industries. On November 1, 2018, USTR suspended GSP tariff reductions on 90 imports from India worth $75 billion including textiles, chemicals, and musical instruments.