Country demands duty-free access at WTO

05 Dec '09

2 min read

Bangladesh demanded to execute the decision on duty-free and quota-free (DFQF) market access, near the beginning of 2010.

The products to be covered under DFQF list should be revealed well ahead of the conclusion of the Doha Round of WTO, recommended a Bangladeshi delegation, as it would be helpful to access the commercial value of these products before signing the outcomes of the negotiations.

Bangladesh also demanded that, the members of least developed country (LDC) should not pay higher duties.

Compulsion on LDC to pay higher duties than a non-LDC will contravene the World Trade Organization (WTO) spirit of special and differential treatment principle.

Bangladeshi delegation headed by Commerce Minister Mr. Faruk Khan made all these demands, prior to the ministerial conference of WTO, in a meeting with WTO Director General Mr. Pascal Lamy.

This delegation informed Mr. Lamy that the group of LDC members has come up with a common position on DFQF and DAC issues. Mentioning the demands made by Bangladesh as valid demands, Mr. Lamy said that WTO is likely to take a favorable decision on the issues raised by Bangladesh. Moreover, he assured the country, more technical supports.

The seventh WTO Ministerial Conference opened on November 30 in Geneva. The inaugural ceremony was chaired by Andres Velasco, Finance Minister, Republic of Chile.

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