India’s Ministry of Steel has rejected the European Union’s (EU) demand that steel imported from the EU be exempted from mandatory testing by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), a ministry official said on Friday, December 28.
The EU had communicated to the Indian government that steel imported by India from Europe was already tested before shipment as per international standards and stated that mandatory retesting again at BIS laboratories was a non-tariff barrier imposed on European steel producers.
However, according to the Ministry of Steel official, the Indian government has stated that mandatory tests in India are required as the manufacturing process in India is different and so testing as per international standards is not relevant.
Testing of steel at BIS laboratories has been made mandatory by the Ministry of Steel for 50 carbon steel products and three stainless steel products.
Since the EU complaint against mandatory testing has been submitted to the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Indian government will also place its case against granting any exemption of testing by the BIS for steel imported from the EU before the trade body, the official added.