India appeals to WTO board over import of US agri products

India has appealed to the Dispute Settlement Board of World Trade Organisation for a panel decision on its issues with the US over agricultural imports. "WTO Secretariat received today a notice by India announcing its decision to appeal certain issues of law and legal interpretation in the panel report in the case 'India -- Measures concerning the importation of certain agricultural products'," the WTO said yesterday.

India had in 2012 imposed some prohibitions with regard to importation of various agricultural products from the US because of concerns related to Avian Influenza.

This import prohibition is maintained through India's Avian Influenza (AI) measures, mainly, the Indian Livestock Importation Act, 1898. The US contended that India's AI measures amounted to an import prohibition that was not based on the relevant international standard or on a scientific risk assessment. The dispute settlement panel ruled that India's AI measures are inconsistent with the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement because they are not based on the relevant international standards.

India claims that the panel committed several legal errors in its interpretation and application of numerous articles of the SPS agreement.