Slew of sops being readied for EOUs, SEZ units in Gujarat
New Delhi: The hundred per cent export-oriented units (EOUs) and units set up in the special economic zones (SEZs) in Gujarat are set to receive a host of new concessions, following an open house meeting additional commerce secretary Vinay Bansal and members of the the Export Promotion Council for EOUs/SEZs had with the state officials in Ahmedabad on Wednesday. These include exemption from sales tax, electricity tariff and octroi duty. The meeting was called to discuss state-related issues faced by EOUs/SEZs operating in Gujarat. Sharad Jaipuria, council vice-chairman, LB Singhal, director-general, Yogendra Garg, development commissioner Kandla SEZ, were among those attended. >From the state government’s side, those participated included Lahari, chief secretary, D Rajagopalan, principal secretary and other senior officials.
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India may refuse to remove tariffs on all sectors identified
New Delhi: The negotiating group on market access at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) will meet in two week’s time to discuss the chairman’s proposal on draft modalities on non-agriculture market access negotiations. India has to be ready with its response by then. The commerce ministry is holding discussions with various sectors, especially the seven identified by the chairman for sectoral tariff elimination, and is expected to firm up its position soon. The negotiating group meeting will begin on July 9. While the chairman’s note stated that the seven sectors identified for tariff elimination were of export interest to developing and least-developed countries, India is not sure that all the identified sectors in the country were ready for such a move. Officials said that the ministry was holding discussions with all the sectors involved to examine the pros and cons of tariff elimination. On the basis of the feed-back received, India would decide its stand on the issue. The seven sectors identified include electronics & electrical goods, fish & fish products, footwear, leather goods, motor vehicle parts & components, stones, gems & precious metals and textile & clothing. Some sectors like motor vehicle parts & components had expre-ssed their reservation on the suggestion of tariff elimination while sectors like textile and clothing and fish & fish products seemed open to it, sources said.

While a meeting had already been held with the textile ministry in Mumbai early this week, ministry officials would meet marine product exporters in Kerala on Saturday.
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Panel set up to resolve inter-agency issues
New Delhi: The finance ministry has constituted a high level inter-ministerial committee headed by the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) to resolve inter-agency issues to ensure a steady progress of clearance of import and export goods. A ministry release stated that the step is in pursuance to para 2 (xiii) (a) of Chapter 3 of recommendation contained in the Kelkar report on indirect taxes. The constitution of the committee is a major trade facilitation measure which will ensure better coordination between various ministries of the government of India and speed up clearance of imports and exports.
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