NEW DELHI, May 16: India is contesting the United States' allegations under "Special 301" provisions that it had failed to protect intellectual property rights, the Lok Sabha was informed on Friday.

Minister of state for commerce B B Ramaiah said the US had taken the disputed matter to the World Trading Organisation (WTO) alleging non-compliance of certain provisions of the WTO agreement on trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights.

During the 1997 annual review by the US under its Special 301 provisions, the country had been retained on the `priority watch list.'

Under the Special 301 provisions, the US government identifies countries which deny effective protection of intellectual property rights and fair market access.

Ramaiah said the European Union (EU) had imposed provisional anti-dumping duties on imports of unbleached cotton fabrics originating in China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Pakistan and Turkey. Final determination, however, was awaited.

An anti-dumping investigation had also been initiated by the European Union against exports of bed linen from various countries, including India.

According to the normal practice, they may verify the information furnished by exporters/producers.

The government had been providing all possible assistance to Indian exporters in the anti-dumping investigation at the diplomatic level.

The commerce minister said the European Union had imposed provisional anti-dumping duties on Indian hdpe/pp woven sacks, used for packaging of goods and weighing 120 gr/m or less.

The rates of the provisional anti-dumping duty was 47.2 per cent with the exception of imports from some Indian companies.

Though there was an overall growth in the exports of plastic woven sacks during 1996-97, a marginal decline in the total exports to EU was recorded, the minister said. He said the plastics and linoleum export promotion council on behalf of Indian Exporting units had engaged a consultant, Van Bael Bellis in Brussels for contesting the anti-dumping case filed by EU.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.