Ethiopia to respond to WTO’s queries
Reporter, Ethiopia
Saturday, 24 January 2009
Kaleyesus Bekele
The draft report which the consultants submitted to MoTI this time is on anti-dumping law.
The Ethiopian government is to respond to the queries presented by the European Union, the governments of the United States and Canada related to Ethiopia’s application for WTO membership. Ethiopia applied for WTO membership on January 13, 2003.
In December 2006, the Ethiopian government submitted a Memorandum of Foreign Trade Regime (MFTR) for the WTO which opens the long journey to WTO accession. After Ethiopia submitted its MFTR, the US government raised 200 questions on Ethiopia’s MFTR. The Ethiopian Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI) has responded to the questions related to customs, financial and other trade laws.
Demilew Mekonnen, representative of the WTO affairs at MoTI, told The Reporter that last July and August the EU, the US and Canada submitted more than 100 questions on Ethiopia’s MFTR. “The questions are based on our response to the queries forwarded by the US government previously,” Demilew said. He said the answers were prepared, adding that the ministry will send the reply to the WTO within three months. “If things go according to schedule, we will send our response by March,” he added.
In a related news, the consultants hired by the UNDP to conduct a study on Ethiopia’s trade laws in relation with the WTO rules last week submitted a draft final report. The international consultant, Derk Bienen, and the local consultant, Habte Million, have been conducting the impact assessment study on trade remedies.
The impact assessment study has many categories. The draft final report which the consultants submitted to MoTI this time is on anti-dumping law. The consultants and officials of MoTI yesterday deliberated on the study at a workshop held at the Addis Ababa Hilton. Million, who made a presentation on the legal aspect, identified the trade laws which do not comply with the WTO rules and regulations. The consultants forwarded possible trade remedies. Million said there was no comprehensive anti-dumping law in Ethiopia.