Congressman wants level-playing field for US exports in India

WASHINGTON: As leaders from the two nations push for greater Indo-US economic ties, a Congressman here has introduced a new bill to ensure a level-playing field for American manufacturing exports in India and other countries benefitting from the US trade preference programmes.


The new legislation named 'Playing Fair on Trade and Innovation Act' has been introduced by the House of Representative member Lee Terry, who chairs the Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee.

"Countries like India are engaged in a growing pattern of unfair and discriminatory treatment designed to benefit its own domestic companies at the expense of American manufacturing and jobs," Terry said in a statement after introducing the new bill on September 20.

"India recently has announced rules requiring the local production of information technology and clean energy equipment. It has denied or revoked patents for well over a dozen innovative medicines," he added.

If passed into a law, the Playing Fair on Trade and Innovation Act would prevent the President from granting special access to the US market under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) programme to countries that block American exports, either by requiring products to be manufactured domestically or by failing to protect IP rights.

The bill was introduced days ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to the US and his meeting with the US President Barack Obama.

The two countries are looking to increase their two-way commerce by five times from the current level of USD 100 billion. After their meeting on Friday, the two leaders vowed to expeditiously address all trade and investment policy issues to remove obstacles and improve business environment in both countries.

After introducing the bill, Terry said that the US trade preference programmes have sought to economic development in nations around the world for nearly 40 years.

"But today, some countries are taking advantage of the American generosity. They enjoy open access to our markets while products made in America face intellectual theft in their markets.

"We must demand our trademarks and patents going into their countries are protected the same way they are here in the US," he said.

Established in 1974, the GSP programme provides tariff- free access to the US market for up to 5,000 products from 127 developing countries.

"Trade preferences are not a gift...Eligibility should be reviewed regularly and rigorously. Particularly at a time when unemployment in this country remains unacceptably high, we can't afford to let America's trade policy become a one-way street. This legislation provides a valuable tool to help level the playing field," Terry said.