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Research Studies, Export Potential
Surveys, Seminars/Workshops
Research activities occupy a critical place at IIFT because of the
institutional emphasis on a strong pervasive interface between
research and training. The Institute has so far brought out over 650
research studies and surveys. In addition, it has developed
substantial consulting capacity in analysing international business
situations and developing appropriate corporate strategies. Prominent
institutions and national and international organisations that have
been consulting the Institute on issues related to international
business include: FICCI, CII, FIEO, CID – Harvard University, European
Union Office, USAID, UNDP, ESCAP, Commonwealth Secretariat, and
Central & State Governments of India.
The Institute has set up the
Centre for WTO Studies,
Centre for International Trade in Technology (CITT)
and
Centre for SMEs.
as part of its efforts to focus on important
international trade policy issues.
Research Studies Completed During 2006-2007
Seminars/Workshops During 2006-07
WTO-Related
Studies/Seminars
Dispute
Settlement Systems under WTO
Special
and Differential Treatment for Developing Countries under WTO
China’s
Accession to WTO
Russia’s
Accession to WTO
Moldova’s
Accession to WTO
WTO:
Trade and Environment Linkages (in Collaboration with CII)
Experts
Group on Interaction Between Trade & Competition Policy
WTO
Consistency of Trade Policy of Major Trading Partners for the Year
1999-2000
WTO
Agreement on Agriculture & Indian Economy
WTO
Compatible Scheme for State of Uttar Pradesh, India
WTO
Related Issues
Round
Table Discussion on Multilateral Framework for Competition Policy:
Initiative in WTO
Round
Table Conference on WTO Dispute Settlement Mechanism
WTO:
Its Impact on SMEs
Implications
of WTO for India
WTO
& Indian Leather Industry at Calcutta
WTO
Issues Seminar for Chief Secretaries
WTO:
Agreement on Agriculture India’s Negotiating Agenda
WTO
Ministerial Round at Doha & Indian Economy
Seminar
on Trade Facilitation
Seminar
on WTO Negotiations on RTAs
National
Conference on WTO Issues
National
Workshop on Technical Barriers to Trade
WTO
and Indian Business in Bombay
WTO:
Its Implications for Business
WTO
Related Issues
i)
Measures for Fair Protection and Promotion of Indian Food
Processing Sector
ii)
Global Challenges for Indian Food Processing Sector
WTO-TBT Notifications Issued during 2001-2003
in Select Sectors
Article 39.9 of the TRIPS Agreement: Its
Genesis and the Present Context
Removal of MFN Exemptions in Services
Implementation of the
Doha
Ministerial Declaration on Agreement on TRIPS and Public Health
Compulsory Licensing Provisions: A study of
Select Country Experiences
Analysis and Preparation of Initial offers in
Services
Biotechnology Patenting : The Way Forward
Implementation of the Agreement on
Agriculture: A Review
Implications of the WTO Commitments on the
Indian Automobile Industry
Free /
Preferential Trading Arrangements
Desirability
of India's Bilateral Free Trade Agreement with Chile
Desirability
of Bilateral Free Trade Agreements with Select Countries
Analysis
of the Desirability of a Bilateral Free Trade Agreement with Egypt
Strategic
Trade Alliance between India and the Sultanate of Oman
Bilateral
Free Trade Agreement Between India and South Africa
AFTA-India-Linkages
for Enhancement of Trade & Environment
RTAs:
An Impact Analysis of NAFTA with Special Reference to India
Study
on India-Morocco PTA/ FTA
Preferential
Trading Regime for Bhutan
RTAs:
An Impact Analysis of with Special Reference to India: i) ASEAN ii)
Mercosur iii) SAPTA iv) New Bilateral
Agreements with EU
Products /
Services Studies
Project
Exports: Central Excise Bond Formalities
Export
Marketing of Select Products From Punjab
Capabilities
and Export Opportunities in Select Non-conventional Technology Based
Services
Strategy
for Steel Exports
Supply
Base and External Market Opportunities for Select Non-Conventional
Technology Based Services From India
Export
Marketing Strategies for Powerloom Sector
Import
of Raw Silk and Exim Policy 1997-2002
Export
Prospects of Alcoholic Beverages in Russia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan
Market
Survey on Marine Products in China, S. Korea & Taiwan
Commodity
Exports from ESCAP
Non-Tariff
Measures on India's Exports: An Assessment
A
Compendium on Technology Exports from India
Quarterly
Newsletter on Technology Exports
Export
Potential of Table Eggs in Dubai and Kuwait
Export
Market Strategy for Select Handicrafts
Bio-technology
with Special Focus on Genetically Modified Foods
Medium
Term Plan For Tobacco Exports from India and Strategies for the Next
Five Years
Guidelines
and Rules Pertaining to the Export of Non-Conventional Energy
Products, Services and Technologies
India's
Export Potential in Pharmaceutical Products in Select African
Countries
Export
Competitiveness and the Market for Textiles
Reports
of Foreign Delegations and Indian Delegations Abroad
A
Study on Technology Intensive Exports - Policies and Incentives
"EMCB-ENVIS
and IIFT"
Evaluation
of Export Promotion Scheme for Handicrafts
Export
of Food Grains by FCI
Tariff
and Non-tariff Barriers on Export of Jute Product
Colloquium
on Technology Exports
Review
of Financial Control System at Export Inspection Council
Enhancement of PEC Branding in Developing Countries
Analysis of Surge in Imports of Dairy Products, Fresh Fruits and
Processed Fruits by India
SPS/TBT Type of Technical Barriers to Trade Faced by Indian Food
Product Exporters
Top
South and
South East Asian Studies
Import
Cooperation Among SAARC Countries
Prospects
of Indo-ASEAN Trade & Economic Cooperation in association with FIEO
Trade
Related Joint Ventures between India and Bangladesh
Currency
Turmoil in South-East Asia: Impact on India's Exports
How
to Promote Exports from Bangladesh to India
China's
Accession to Bangkok Agreement
European
Union – Studies / Seminars
Agriculture
GSP Scheme of the European Union : A Comparative Analysis
The
Impact of the Expansion of the European Union on India's Exports
Impact
of EU's Enlargement on India
EU
Enlargement and Its Impact on India’s External Setor
Euro:
Implications for India
Advent
of Euro
Agriculture-Related Studies
Jute
Products
India's
Food Security Issues: Export Policy & Institutional Framework
Export
Competitiveness of Select Agro Products of India (with CID, Harvard
University )
Top
Export
Potential Surveys
Export
Potential Survey of North Eastern Region
Export
Potential Survey of Maharashtra
Export
Potential Survey of Andhra Pradesh
Export
Potential Survey of Vidarbha
Export
Potential Survey of Madhya Pradesh
Export
Potential Survey of Tripura
Export
Potential Survey of Jharkhand
Export
Potential Survey of Orissa
Export
Potential Survey of Chhattisgarh
Export
Development Plans for North-East
i)
Assam
ii)
Arunachal Pradesh
iii)
Meghalaya
iv)
Tripura
Market–Related Studies
Trade
and Investment Opportunities in Select West & East African Countries
Identification
of India's Potential Export Products in the WANA Region
India’s
Export Potential to MERCOSUR Countries
Promotion
of India’s Trade with Sub-Saharan African Countries
Sector–Specific Studies
Impact
of Trade Liberalisation on Small Scale Industry in India
The
Impact of Economic Reforms on the Social Sector Development
Informal
Sector's Contribution to India's Exports: A Quantitative Evaluation
Promotion
of Exports of Small Scale Products
Exportable R&D Services from CSIR System
Top
Organisation-Related
Studies
Addressing
Financial Requirements of EOUs and EPZ Units
Peer
Review of Export Inspection Council (EIC), Export Inspection Agency (EIAs)
Restructuring
and Strengthening of VITC
Workshops /
Training Modules
Negotiation
Techniques in the Area of Trade and Investment Liberalisation
Research
and Training Needs in International Trade in Asia-Pacific Countries
Intensive
Training Session for Negotiators of International Investment
Agreements
A
Compendium on Institutions Offering Management Education, Courses
Offered & Structure in Indian Ocean Rim Countries
Intensive
Training Session for Negotiators of International Investment
Agreements
Training
Module on Trade in Environmental Services and Human Development
Workshop
on Integrating Business Institutes and Industries
Handicrafts Portal for the Office of Development commissioner
Creation of a web-portal on Environment Services and Trade-II
Miscellaneous Policy–Related Studies / Seminars
Amendment
to the Central Sales Tax Act 1956
Implementation
Model for Establishment of Free Port in India
External
Trade Procedures and Regulations-Scope for Simplification
Proper
and Useful Utilization of the Space Allotted to APSTC by IIMT at
Rotterdam
Costs
and Benefits of Taking Marine Insurance on Import of Urea on
Government Account
Cost
Benefit Analysis of Insurance
Reservation
through Transchart: Policy Issues
Compendium
on NTMs facing India's Exports
Trade
& Environment Linkages: Issues from Indian Standard
Issues
Relating to Foreign Direct Investment
Establishment
of Warehousing Facility in Southern Africa
NIC
Code Numbers for Select Products
Market
- Audit on India International Trade Fair – 2002
Market
- Audit on India International Trade Fair – 2003
Maintenance
& Management of the Portal of Handicrafts between IIFT
World
Trade Environment and India’s Export Strategy
Electronic
Commerce in International Trade
Geopolitics
of International Trade and Finance at the end of the 20th Century
Implications
of EU GSP Rules of Origin on Indian Textile and Clothing Sector
International
Conference on New Dimensions in Global Business Perspective 2001
Implications
of the Removal of Quantitative Restrictions
Textiles and Clothing Exports of India to EU with Special Reference to
EU Enlargement and ASEAN Competition in the EU Market
Management Teachers’ Programme on International Business Strategy
Study
on WTO Related Issues - (Dr. Sunitha Raju and Ms. Tamanna Chaturvedi)
The Study on WTO related Issues had the following components: (i)
Global Challenges for Indian Food Processing Sector; and (ii) Measures
for Fair Protection and Promotion of Indian Food Processing Sector.
The Study was undertaken on behalf of Ministry of Food Processing with
the following objectives.
•
Identification of import sensitive agro products;
•
Analysis of the modalities for tariff reduction and their implications
for India;
•
Analysis of the global trends in agricultural subsidies and their
import trade implications for
India;
•
Identification of export potential agro and processed food products;
•
Analysis of the export competitiveness of the identified products;
•
Analysis of the external constrains for export growth in terms of
market access issues, domestic and export subsidies on products of
export interest to India;
•
Analysis of the domestic constraints for export growth;
•
Analysis of export promotion measures.
i)
Global Challenges for Indian Food Processing Sector
The Indian agri export sector is poised for growth. The medium
term projections of global agricultural trade clearly highlight the
trade opportunities particularly in Beef, Vegetable Oils and Rice.
Fruits & Vegetables (both fresh & processed) is also another area
where international trade offers significant export opportunities.
Exploiting these opportunities requires an integrated approach to
production and trade as world markets are becoming increasingly
competitive along with a multitude of standards to be met. The
challenge for
India
is to retain the production cost advantages evenwhile seeking to
upgrade the quality and marketing systems.
Changes in consumption patterns is leading to increased demand
for “high value” products such as vegetable oils & meat in developing
countries and fresh fruits & vegetables and organic products in
developed countries. At the same time, food scares and health concerns
have challenged the confidence in food quality. As such, consumers
expect retailers to ensure food safety measures through their
purchasing practices. Therefore, competition among retailers
increasingly involves food safety aspects. Consumers are also
demanding more transparency, traceability and assurance in the food
chain. Meeting these requirements is a significant challenge for
entering global value chains of food products.
The organization of commodity chains has also changed
significantly. A few decades ago, the dominance of large companies in
world commodity economy was mostly in terms of their marketing
initiatives in international markets. Now, increasingly, these
companies are also influencing what is produced and how. Thus, at the
international level, there is a continuing concentration of trade and
vertical integration of large firms. At the level of
commodity-exporting developing countries, trading networks (both for
domestic and export markets) are being appropriated by foreign firms.
In the retail markets of developed countries, the most important
change has been the growth of supermarkets, which has led to the near
elimination of independent traders and increased the importance of
brand name.
Under these evolving production and marketing systems and
considering the large number of small farmers in agricultural
production, the constraints that characterize Indian exports fall in
three broad areas: (i) access to information; (ii) access to finance;
and (iii) access to marketing and trade networks. This is under the
assumption that agricultural trade liberalization will progress
subsequent to the ongoing negotiations.
India
has also the potential to develop niche markets especially in fresh
fruits & vegetables. The approach could be either in developing
producer-driven commodity chains or buyer – driven chains. However,
the challenge is that of the effective governance of food chains.
Especially in cases where the food retailers in developed countries
are sourcing from developing countries, it is important to close the
gap between producer capabilities and the requirements of the export
markets. Secondly, considering that food products have distinct
marketing channels, it is important to monitor the coordination
between the producer and retailer, especially when the product quality
is not standardized.
The above approaches for revamping the food export systems, has
clear implications for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) both in
developing production systems and retailing. In this regard, it is
important to define the permissible role of FDI in developing these
networks. Although the various programmes/schemes for production
enhancement, infrastructure development and export promotion have
highlighted the underlying issues, the possible role of FDI in these
areas has not been clearly defined.
The challenges for broadening the export base of Indian food
products, thus, briefly, are:
(i) developing national food standards and a strong certification
system which is harmonized with the internationally accepted CODEX or
HACCP;
(ii) negotiating for equivalence agreements with major trading
partners;
(iii) providing appropriate support (regulatory and incentive
systems) for the efficient integration of production and marketing
systems based on well defined government – private sector partnership;
and
(iv) developing product – wise export promotion strategy through
market studies, support for upgrading existing export capabilities and
developing effective governance for monitoring and management of food
value chains.
ii) Measures for Fair Protection and Promotion of Indian Food
Processing
Sector
From the analysis of agri import trends, it is observed that besides
the traditional (general) imports, new items entered into India’s agri
import basket due to trade liberalization drive and the gradual
phasing out of QRs. Considering the fact that higher imports could
have detrimental effects on the production base of the country and
thereby affect rural livelihood, the selection of import sensitive
items was done on the basis of average annual growth rates.
A closer examination of imports indicated that inspite of a lower
flexibility in terms of tariff protection, the threat of import growth
is only for a few products. Import threat is high for Food
preparations, Edible oils, Spices, Fruits and vegetables. Further if
QRs are withdrawn, the import threat was particularly high for Spices,
Oilseeds, Cereal preparation and Edible Oils.
Further selection was done on the basis of comparison between
bound rates and applied rates. The identified import sensitive
products were ranked on the basis of their livelihood and food
security dimensions including parameters like average import growth
rate, percentage share of area under cultivation under gross cropped
area in major producing state and percentage population dependent on
the crop. Wheat, Soybean oil and Milk Powder were identified as most
sensitive imports followed by Fruits (chiefly Apples and Grapes),
Maize, Cheese, Vegetables an
Orange
juice.
The study reveal that AoA has opened a new horizon of
opportunities for increased access to imports from developed markets
into
India.
The removal of QRs would further endanger the livelihood systems of
the poor farmers, as there is a possibility of further import surge.
The extent of domestic support to farming families is far below even
the WTO-prescribed ceiling. There are also no export subsidies in
India. India has specific duty only for a few items, and for items
with NTBs, there are no specific duties. As a result of this, Indian
agriculture continues to need protection and support. Hence immediate
action to protect domestic industry lies in : (i) Adjustment of
Tariffs within bound levels; (ii) Special Agricultural Safeguard
mechanism (SSM) and (iii) Non Tariff Measures.
Further, creation of infrastructure, watershed development, increased
availability of subsidized inputs and greater thrust on research,
extension and risk management is required to compete with imports.
Better integration across rural markets is necessary for price signals
from abroad to be fully effective in generating comparative
advantages. A danger posed by weak integration across rural markets is
that the price depressing effects of potential imports can be quicker
and affect more regions and farmers.
Hence, India’s initial negotiating proposals should seek to
protect the interest of Indian agriculture especially on its concerns
for food and livelihood security, demanding more flexibility for
protection from surge in imports and by conceding minimal market
access. These negotiating proposals with matching efforts of
protection, support and market-friendly domestic policy regime will
take Indian farming to higher levels of growth and prosperity.
Top
Handicrafts
Portal for the Office of Development Commissioner - (Mr.O.P.Wali, Mr.
Bimal Panda, Dr. Anshu Saxena and Mr. Tarun Kumar Sharma)
The
Handicraft Portal Project was taken up with the following objectives:
•
Maintenance of the portal developed by IIT Delhi
•
E-commerce strategy and execution
•
Identify Target Cluster
•
More focus on artisans
•
Involve Marketing Centres of Handicrafts Department for artisan
registration
•
Promotion of the Portal
IIFT looked into both Maintenance and Management of the portal.
Maintenance was an ongoing activity necessary to keep the portal up to
date and functional. Management of portal referred to following
activities:
Launch of portal in October 2004v
Populate the portal member database with stakeholders’ information.v
Stakeholders Data Capturing and preparing comprehensive cluster
databasev
Portal Promotionv
The portal is a Web enabled repository of information and data on
handicraft sector. The objectives of portal are two fold, Information
dissemination and Providing Platform where stakeholders can interact
with other stakeholders to develop business. .
Top
Review
of Financial Control System at Export Inspection Council (Prof. K.
Rangarajan)
The
Terms of Reference of the Study comprised the following:
1.
To identify the weak links in the existing financial control system in
terms of
control on inflow and outflow of funds;
2.
To review the current reporting system and its effectiveness in
actionable
terms;
3.
To find out the current practices in the management of investible
funds;
4.
To analyse the current status of financial flows between EIC and EIAs;
and
5.
To suggest a suitable financial control system for the organization.
The survey shows that the major sources of revenue for EIAs are
inspection fees and fees generated through GSP forms sale and
certification. Among the EIAs, the major contribution to the tune of
around 30% comes from EIA Chennai, followed by
Delhi,
Mumbai, Cochin and Calcutta respectively. The major contribution of
all EIAs, except Delhi, is derived from inspection fees. Also, more
than 90% of the inspection fees of Chennai and Mumbai are derived from
fish and fisheries products, whereas it is more than 80% in case of
Cochin
and Calcutta. Out of the total expenditure of all EIAs, major share is
attributed to EIA Calcutta followed by Cochin, Delhi, Mumbai and
Chennai respectively. The expenditure statement of EIAs shows that
major share of total expenditure to the tune of 85% is incurred in the
form of establishment expenditure, of which more than 80% of the
expenditure is accounted by pay, DA and other allowances. Cash
Management is very crucial in EIC/EIAs. The financial statements show
that the cash/near-cash balances are very high, indicating loss of
interest. Though the Council is funded by the Government, EIC needs to
tune the financial control system of EIAs not only for effective
utilization of the financial resources but also to ensure proper
performance evaluation of the functioning of EIAs. The revenue
management at EIC at present is more centralized. It is recommended
that it should be decentralised to facilitate free functioning of EIAs
with the sound centralized control system. One of the important
principles of financial control system in multi-locational
organization is uniformity in the heads of reported items which is
missing in the case of EIC/EIAs.
Top
Study
of Textiles and Clothing Exports of
India
to EU with Special Reference to EU Enlargement and ASEAN Competition
in the EU Market - (Prof. K. Rangarajan)
The Study was conducted against the backdrop of the removal of
MFA removal w.e.f
1st
January 2005. The Multi-Fibre Arrangement (MFA) and other earlier
agreements through quantitative restrictions had governed the
international trade in textiles and clothing for more than three
decades. The Study focused on the strategies for India in facing the
challenges due to full MFA phase-out.
Analysis of the cost structure of the textiles sector in India
showed that the power cost and steam cost of India is one of the
highest in the region. Similarly, the labour cost, though misconceived
as a competitive advantage factor, is higher than that of
Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. However, the labour
cost of
China
is more than that of India. The finance cost represented by nominal
rate of interest and technology up-gradation are less than that of the
other competitors except China.
The intermediate inputs also have high import content as opposed
to countries like Vietnam, Morocco, Italy and Czech Republic. The
increased import content in the value chain adds to the vulnerability
of the sector in the post MFA regime. However, the industry scores
high in terms of backward linkages as most of the supply chain
activities in the clothing sector is located within the country. Yet,
in order to maintain competitiveness, it may have to strive for
linkages outside the country also, especially in non-cotton
requirements. Besides, lean retailing has pushed some of the work and
related cost up the value chain to manufacturers. As a response,
manufacturers can either absorb the cost and lower margins, reduce
cost by improving productivity, thereby shortening lead time and
possibly are relocating to lower cost countries, are passed the costs
further up the supply chain to the textile sector. In the post MFA
regime, sustainable cost competitiveness may be achieved more through
increasing the labour productivity and leveraging on the resources for
supply chain and value chain efficiency.
The competitiveness of
India
has been compared in the Study in terms of its labour productivity,
supply chain & value chain dependence, technology capabilities etc.
The Indian T&C industry experiences low labor productivity, which is
one of the major barriers for enhancing competitiveness in the
down-stream activities of the value chain. The productivity level of
the industry in major products of garment segment is compared here
with some of the competitors in Asia. It has been measured in terms of
number of pieces produced per machine per day in India vis-à-vis its
competitors. As per the data, India’s productivity in the value added
products like Trousers and Ladies dresses are not even half of the
productivity of competitors like Hong-Kong, Taiwan and Thailand. Even
an in Gents shirt, which is considered to be one of important items of
India’s garment export basket, the productivity was the lowest at 9.1
pieces per machine per day. Though it is argued that due to
flexibility of production line, Indian manufacturers could not achieve
specialization, the productivity gaps were very high and could not be
leveraged by the labor cost or the net tariff deferential available to
India.
In the high quality fashion end of the market and in the mass
consumer market, flexibility is the important consideration for value
chain effectiveness. With the phase out of quota system, the industry
needs to gear up to meet this flexibility to tap the opportunities
created in the export markets.
Further, key issues for developing countries like
India
are the level of market access under the preferential schemes like GSP
and the extent of cost of compliance with the rules of origin. On a
relative basis, the Indian T&C industry is globally more competitive
than other industries in the manufacturing sector. Consistency in
supplies, flexibility in value chain and social and environmental
performance are going to be the important ingredients of any
successful strategy for the India in the post-MFA T&C exports. Price,
quality and responsiveness will be only essential ingredients.
Top
A
Study on WTO-TBT Notifications Issued during 2001-2003 in Select
Sectors - (Mr. Rajeshwar Dayal, Mr. Abhijit Mukhopadhyay)
The Study was conducted for the Department of Scientific and
Industrial Research (DSIR) against the backdrop of the provisions of
the GATT 1947 which contained only a general reference to technical
regulations and standards. Subsequently a working group, set up to
evaluate the impact of non-tariff barriers in international trade,
concluded that technical barriers were the largest category of
non-tariff measures faced by the exporters. After years of
negotiations at the end of
Tokyo
round in 1979, 32 GATT contracting parties signed the plurilateral
agreement on technical barriers to trade. The Standards Code, as the
agreement was called, laid down the rules for preparation, adoption
and application of technical regulations, standards and conformity
assessment procedures. The new WTO agreement on technical barriers to
trade (TBT) agreement has strengthened and clarified the provisions of
the
Tokyo
round Standard Code.
The TBT agreement, negotiated during the Uruguay round with the
objective of improving market access to ensure that non tariff
barriers in the form of technical standards become non-operative, is
now an integral part of the WTO agreement. The paradox is that the TBT
itself is now perceived to be a major barrier for exports from
developing countries.
The Study shows that countries have introduced the TBT regulations to
meet a diverse set of objectives. The highest number of technical
regulations and standards have been adopted with a view to protecting
human safety or health. It is seen from the text of various
notifications that these are really meant for protection of human
health or safety, adoption of new domestic laws and technology,
harmonization, consumer protection, consumer information and labeling.
Besides, there have been 723 notifications related to labeling alone
during the period January 1995 – August 2002, notified by 54 member
countries. The products covered include all packaged foods, electrical
and hydrocarbon fuelled appliances, consumer packaging and labeling,
motor vehicles, electrical washer driers, refrigeration appliances,
cigarette packets and alcoholic beverage bottles, chemical substances,
textile products etc.
Developing countries face formidable challenges posed by the
Agreement on TBT. On the one hand, they face the daunting task of
getting effective market access in the major markets given the
plethora of the regulations that have been imposed by their developed
countries counterparts. On the other hand, they have found that
implementing and enforcing international standards may require
technical and financial resources (to bring relevant issues to Dispute
Settlement) beyond their capabilities. The TBT Agreement is expected
to obviate these problems to some extent by easing the impact of
certain provisions whose full application would not be compatible with
developing country members’ development, financial and trade needs.
Moreover, in view of their particular technological and socio-economic
conditions, developing country members may adopt technical
regulations; standards or test methods aimed at preserving indigenous
technologies and production methods and processes compatible with
their development needs. Finally, developing country members may
request international standardizing bodies to examine the possibility
of, and if practicable, prepare international standards for products
of special trade interest to them..
Top
Exportable
R&D Services from CSIR System (Shri Rajeshwar Dayal, Ms. Jasmine
Acharya)
The
study “Exportable R&D services from CSIR System” was undertaken with
the following objectives:
I.
To find out from the survey of 38 laboratories of CSIR, their
potential for
entering into the export market of R&D services;
II.
To examine the areas of expertise in which CSIR laboratories have
given or are capable to providing R&D services; and
III. To find out the constraints being faced by CSIR Laboratories
in exporting R&D Services and their views to overcome those
To fulfill the objectives a conceptual model was developed for
CSIR Labs so as to compare them with this ideal model and thus observe
the discrepancies.
CSIR is one of the main organizations in India engaged in the
promotion and development of science and technology. At present, CSIR
has a network of 38 laboratories / institutes and 80 extension / field
/ regional / polytechnology transfer centres spread all over India to
undertake R&D in several disciplines. The areas of activity vary from
molecular biology to leather, from seismicity to computer modeling,
from aerospace to ocean sciences, from glass to steel, from
micro-electronics to a range of test facilities and so on. The CSIR’s
role in the overall industrial development of the country, over the
last six decades of its existence, has been in terms of providing
technical know-how for upgrading existing technologies and generating
fresh technologies in tune with the growing needs of the Indian
industry.
CSIR laboratories have responded to the changes in the
industrial, economic and trade policies introduced by the Government
to successfully integrate the Indian economy in the global scene.
Successful technology transfers have been achieved in various fields
like drugs, agro-chemicals, petroleum refining, wood substitutes,
waterproofing compounds and effluent treatment.
Patents
CSIR files highest number of patents not only in India but also abroad
by any Indian entity. During 2001 -02, CSIR filed 410 patents with in
the country and were granted probably the highest number of 341
patents. During the same time CSIR filed 580 patents abroad and 86
patents were granted to it. The utilization of patents of CSIR is more
than 7%, which is much higher as compared to the global average of
less than 5%. Some of the CSIR laboratories have also joined hands
with several multinationals and globally renowned business houses like
Parke Davis, Du Pont of
America
and Mitsui of Japan. In the domestic market, CSIR laboratories work
closely with Indian industry and provide comprehensive solutions to
their problems, technology packages and turnkey plantjs.
Manpower
CSIR possesses a large reservoir of R&D manpower numbering 13,338
scientists of finest caliber in the country who have demonstrated time
and again their ability and skills in meeting challenges for the
development of the country and have played a vital role in not merely
making India self-reliant, but also a net exporter in the fields of
drugs and pharmaceuticals, food, energy, housing, environment and
rural development sectors.
Expertise
Some of the CSIR laboratories, over the years, have acquired expertise
and recognition for providing a range of R&D services which meet
international standards. A few of the significant ones are coal
resource surveys; maintaining databases in the areas of drugs,
toxicology, leather, food, chemicals etc; primary standards and
calibration; environmental impact assessment; product evaluation etc.
Specialised major facilities include wind tunnel, acoustic test
facility and tower testing facilities among others. CSIR also has
collaborative agreements with 35 agencies in 29 countries, including
13 developed and 16 developing countries.
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Article
39.3 of the TRIPS Agreement: Its Genesis and the Present Context (Dr.
Biswajit Dhar)
Article 39.3 of the TRIPS Agreement has assumed considerable
significance during the past few years since the associations of
pharmaceutical majors in the
United States
and Europe made it a major plank of their campaign for strengthening
the patent laws in favour of the patentee the world over. This Article
provides that WTO Members would have to provide for protection of
undisclosed test or other data while giving approval for the marketing
of pharmaceutical or agricultural chemical products, which utilize new
chemical entities. The study provided a genesis of Article 39.3 of the
TRIPS Agreement, the proposals that were submitted during the Uruguay
Round negotiations and the views expressed therein. It also examined
the national laws of identified countries in respect of data
exclusivity and providing interpretation and commentary on their
consistency with Article 39.3 of the TRIPS Agreement.
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Compulsory
Licensing Provisions: A Study of Select Country Experiences (Dr.
Biswajit Dhar)
An examination of select country experiences was considered
beneficial for developing countries like
India
as they try to give effect to their commitments under the TRIPS
Agreement, including those that arise from the implementation of the
Doha Declaration on TRIPS Agreement and Public Health. The study also
examined the Indian experience of implementing the compulsory
licensing system. The following broad issues were examined in the
study:
A
comparative analysis of compulsory licensing provisions in the regimes
of§ select countries
Working of compulsory licensing system in select countries§
Determination of the terms of license , in particular the compensation
paid§ to the patentee for the use of the
patent.
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Implementation
of the Agreement on Agriculture: A Review (Dr. Biswajit Dhar/Ms.
Poornima Verma)
The study analysed the problems that have accompanied
implementation of the WTO Agreement on Agriculture (AoA). The basic
objective of AoA was to reduce and eventually eliminate the
distortions in the markets for agricultural commodities. For realizing
this objective, the AoA introduced two sets of disciplines on the WTO
members. Countries acceding to the WTO were expected to reduce the use
of two forms of subsidies, viz. domestic support and export subsidies,
over a period of time. However, in the period since the AoA has been
implemented, there is little evidence to show that the AoA has had any
meaningful influence on the markets. The major players in the global
agricultural markets have continued to give large doses of subsidies
to their domestic agricultural sectors. If anything has changed during
the implementation period of the AoA, it has been the degree to which
these countries have targeted the use of subsidies.
Data on implementation of AoA in respect of major food crops
which this study has provided have established the fact that several
WTO members were using subsidies to strengthen their position with the
objective of gaining enhanced access in the markets that were opening
up. As a result of this targeting, the prices of agricultural
commodities included in this study were found to have declined quite
steeply, quite contrary to the expectations prior to the
implementation of the AoA. Countries like
India
had expected to gain from the implementation of the AoA since the
withdrawal of subsidies by the major players in the global
agricultural market was to bring about rise in prices of agricultural
commodities which would have benefited the low cost producers in the
developing world.
The study highlighted the point that the two largest players in the
market for agricultural commodities, viz. the US and EU, have been
granting very high doses of subsidies. The US, in particular, has been
increasing its subsidies to the farm sector in the second half of the
1990s by taking advantage of the flexibilities that are available in
the discipline introduced by the AoA.
Recent policy initiatives taken by the US, particularly in the
form of the new Farm Act, reinforces the past trends in the grant of
subsidies. The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002
introduces new forms of farm support, besides strengthening the
existing forms, including the de-coupled payments.
The latest in the series of reforms of the CAP undertaken by the EU
emphasizes on the de-coupling of farm support, without promising any
significant reduction in the levels of subsidies in the near future.
The EU has, thus, taken a step in the direction towards aligning its
farm policies with that of the
US.
These developments which have been discussed in considerable
detail in the study could have serious implications for the already
distorted markets for agricultural commodities.
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Removal
of MFN Exemptions in Services (Mr. Shailandra Kumar/Dr. Biswajit Dhar)
During Uruguay Round, a number of developed countries had taken
MFN Exemptions, particularly in those services sector which are of
vital export interest to
India.
It is in our interest that these exemptions are removed as early as
possible during the ongoing services negotiations. In order to achieve
that a detailed project study was undertaken. The aim was to consider
the existing MFN exemptions in depth with a view to analysing their
implications for India.
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Analysis
and Preparation of Initial Offers in Services (Mr. Shailandra
Kumar/Dr. Biswajit Dhar)
As per the mandate of Doha Ministerial Declaration, the member
countries had to submit their initial offers as part of on going
services negotiations. This project had two components: (i)
examination of the offers submitted by WTO Members, and (ii)
preparation of
India’s
offers.
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Implications
of the WTO commitments on the Indian automobile industry (Dr. Murali
Kallummal /Dr. Biswajit Dhar)
The issues that are particularly important in the context of the
negotiations that are being conducted in the WTO as a part of the Doha
Development Agenda include rules of origin and tariffs and other
non-tariff barriers. This project involved preparing short
notes/briefing papers, which were aimed at providing options that the
automobile industry could consider while preparing itself for the WTO
negotiations. The notes/briefing papers were prepared with inputs from
the SIAM Secretariat and other industry players.
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Implementation
of the
Doha
Ministerial Declaration on Agreement on TRIPS and Public Health - (Dr.
Biswajit Dhar)
Access to medicines has been a major concern in developing
countries as these countries have been engaged in implementing their
commitments taken under the WTO Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of
Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). These issues have come into
sharp focus since the adoption of the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS
Agreement and Public Health. The singular contribution made by the
Doha Declaration on Public Health is that it opens up a range of
options that the developing countries can explore for fulfilling their
need for access to medicines taking into consideration their
commitments under the Agreement on TRIPS. A study was undertaken to
identify the options that the developing countries have for
effectively implementing the Doha Declaration on Public Health and
thus ensure access to medicines in the emerging regime of intellectual
property protection.
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Biotechnology
Patenting: The Way Forward (Dr. Biswajit Dhar)
The extending of patent protection to life forms raises several
issues, which need to be analysed from
India’s
perspective. These issues can be divided into two sets. The first
relates to the definitional aspects of micro-organisms. At the TRIPS
Council, India, along with several other developing countries, has
taken the position that the scope of the term ‘micro-organism’ should
be left to the sovereign discretion of countries. The second issue
that assumes importance in this context is whether or not there is a
case for extending patentable subject matter to cover higher forms of
life. This dealt with the following issues:
(i)
The global trends in patenting of living organisms: This discussion
would cover the major industrialised countries and the relatively
advanced developing countries
(ii)
The experience of defining micro-organisms in a select set of
countries
The subsequent sections are a list of Research Studies in progress,
Research Studies proposed to be initiated to during October 2005-
March 2006 and IIFT Publications between May-September 2005.
Integrated
Trade & Tariff data-base
a)
Analysis of Surge in Imports of Dairy Products, Fresh Fruits and
Processed Fruits by India (Mr. T.P. Ghosh, Ms. Tamanna Chaturvedi)
Surge
in imports of dairy products, fresh fruits and processed fruits was
analysed in detail. A methodology of higher growth rate of imports of
tariff lines at 6-digit level of HS Code than the growth rate of
imports of corresponding 2-digit level was used to identify tariff
lines experiencing import surge. A total of 50 tariff lines at 6-digit
level (9 for dairy products, 30 for fresh fruits and 11 for processed
fruits) were found to exhibit import surge during 1996-2003. However,
most of these items accounted for a very small amount of imports even
in 2003. There were only 13 tariff lines at 6-digit level (3 for dairy
products, 8 for fresh fruits and 2 for processed fruits) that recorded
an import of US $ 1 million or more in 2003. The associations of
factors like removal of QR, preferential trading arrangement, increase
in export of the same item in similar or value-added form, etc. were
analyzed as possible factors behind import surge.
b)
SPS/TBT Type of Technical Barriers to Trade Faced by Indian Food
Product Exporters – (Ms. Tamanna Chaturvedi and Shri T.P. Ghosh)
The
process of globalization and trade liberalization has increased access
of the Indian food producers to the international markets, but it also
presents new challenges in terms of quality and safety of the domestic
and exported food. For the exporters of most of the food products, the
challenges of international competitiveness have moved well beyond
price and basic quality to food safety and health concerns. As a
result, sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards adopted by
importing countries have become increasingly more stringent over the
last few years. Under WTO framework, the SPS agreement recognizes that
the government has the right to adopt sanitary and phytosanitary
measures but stipulates that they should be applied only to the extent
necessary to achieve the necessary level of protection. In this
context, guidelines of the Codex Alimentarius are accepted as
benchmark standards under the SPS agreement. Although the SPS
standards by themselves may not amount to a trade barrier, their
adoption in practice can be used as a trade barrier. Hence, the chief
concern of the developing countries including India about SPS
requirements is that they will impede their access to the developed
country markets.
In
this context a study on SPS/TBT type of technical barriers to trade
faced by Indian Food Products exporters and its justification in terms
of science-based standards for (i) fresh fruits (ii) processed f | 
