950824

European Union's rice tariff

Law firm handling

US, Thai cases offers

to represent

Pakistan at WTO

HASEEB HAIDER

LAHORE: The law firm contesting the cases of United States and Thailand offered Pakistan on Thursday its services for moving a joint petition against the European Union's discriminatory policy of import duty on rice, with World Trade Organisation (WTO), source said.

Patton Boggs has received instructions from United States and Thailand separately to file their cases against the European Union's decision on importing rice.

United States wants import duty on rice on contingent basis rather than a flat rate.

Thailand is critical of the unfair tax calculations on rice which is against the agreement on agriculture. "The EU adjusts its import tariffs every three months, using a formula based on the difference between an intervention price and the import price," the source said.

Pakistan, which sees European Union as a big potential market for its rice is facing gross discrimination against its arch rival India.

"For India, EU has fixed a duty of only 50 European currency units while for Pakistan 250 currency units have been fixed, rendering Pakistan exports of rice incompetitive," a rice exporter said.

The Commerce Ministry is still uncertain whether to go to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) against the European Union or wait for a revision of the decision by the EU authorities, who are enjoying holidays nowadays. The European Union has assured Pakistan it would consider its request to scrap its policy on importing rice.

The Commerce Ministry has been approached by the rice exporters to file the country's case with the World Trade Organizaztion. The ministry is likely to take its final stance next week.