The United States on Thursday removed at least 50 Indian products from a list of items subject to duty-free concessions, PTI reported. The United States Trade Representative also revoked the concessions for 40 products from other countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Thailand, Pakistan, Indonesia, Suriname, the Philippines, Ecuador and Turkey.
The products were removed after President Donald Trump issued a proclamation on Tuesday.
From November 1, these products “will no longer qualify for duty-free preferences under the GSP [Generalized System of Preferences] programme but may continue to be imported subject to regular Most Favored Nation duty-rates,” an official of the US Trade Representative told PTI.
Most of the products removed from the list were in the handloom and agriculture sectors. Mangoes, prepared or preserved by vinegar or acetic acid, turpentine gum, areca nuts, dried pigeon pea seed, tin chlorides, barium chlorides, buffalo hide or skin, buffalo skin leather, some cotton fabrics, and some keyboard musical instruments are some of the Indian products removed from the list. While the products can still be exported to the United States, they will be subjected to regular tariffs.
Indian products exceed those from other countries since India was the largest beneficiary of the Generalized System of Preferences programme. The programme aims to promote economic development by allowing duty-free entry for thousands of products from designated beneficiary countries.
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