Report by the Secretariat: III. Trade policies and practices by measure: (2) Measures directly affecting imports: (v) Other charges affecting imports: Para. 46:
According to para. 46, the objective of Indian authorities is to eliminate the cesses once the Goods and Services Tax is implemented. Could India provide detailed information as to when the Goods and Services Tax will replace the cesses as well as to the structure of the tax and on which basis it will be levied. How will the new tax simplify the current system of cesses?
Reply: All cesses are supposed to be subsumed in the goods and service tax (GST). For GST to be introduced the first step is the amendment in the respective taxation powers of the Union and the States in the Constitution. A constitutional amendment bill has been introduced in Parliament in March 2011. The time frame for introduction of GST would depend on the time within which the bill is passed.
Switzerland 16:
Report by the Secretariat: III. Trade policies and practices by measure: (2) Measures directly affecting imports: (vi) Import prohibitions, restrictions and licensing: (b) Import licensing: Para. 55:
According to para. 55, it is not clear which products require automatic license and which require non automatic license. Could India provide a detailed list of these products (product description, HS code)?
