India has filed an appeal with the World Trade Organization’s trade dispute settlement panel over a verdict on domestic sugar subsidies, claiming that the panel made “some legal errors” in its findings, the WTO announced on Tuesday. India filed an appeal with the World Trade Organization’s Appellate Body, which is the last authority on trade disputes.
“India has notified the Dispute Settlement Body of its decision to appeal the panel reports in the ‘India – Measures Concerning Sugar and Sugarcane‘ disputes lodged by Brazil, Australia, and Guatemala,” the WTO said in a statement.
It stated that there is now no Appellate Body division available to deal with the appeal due to the ongoing lack of consensus among WTO members about the filling of Appellate Body vacancies.
The panel suggested that India withdraw its claimed unlawful subsidies under the Production Assistance, Buffer Stock, Marketing, and Transportation Schemes within 120 days of the acceptance of this report in its ruling on December 14, 2021.
The WTO panel ruled in favour of Brazil, Australia, and Guatemala in their trade dispute with India over sugar subsidies, stating that the assistance measures are in violation of WTO trade rules.
India has appealed to the Appellate Body, requesting that the body “reverse, alter, or declare moot and of no legal consequence the findings, conclusions, rulings, and recommendations of the Panel” in relation to specific “legal mistakes of legal interpretation included in the panel report.” -PTI