QCO Norms Can be Eased for Trusted Partners

India is open to ease the quality control order (QCO) framework for “trusted partners”, producing good quality products, commerce and industry minister, Piyush Goyal has said.

The minister, on a four-day visit to Switzerland and Sweden, said discussion on 90% of content were complete on India-EU FTA, with services and rules of origin negotiations slated to start. However, he said, key issue to be addressed is non-tariff barriers to make it easy to do business.

India is implementing QCOs to promote manufacturing of quality goods in the country. Some countries including the US have raised the issue of QCO approvals.

Goyal said rules, standards and process are the same for domestic as well as imported goods and India does not discriminate between domestic manufacturers and foreign suppliers. National treatment is given to companies of all the countries, he added.

“We are in dialogue with several nations on a mutual benefit basis and a mutual recognition basis, if other nations are willing to respect the high quality goods that India makes and allow us to do our own certification process. We are happy to allow our trusted partners to do the same, “Goyal told journalist here.

QCOs are designed to prevent the import of substandard goods while enhancing domestic manufacturing standards and ensure consumer access to high-quality products.

Asked about the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) unveiled by the EU, Goyal said this measure is “not good” as it is also a kind of a non-tariff barrier. He said the tax, if imposed, will do injustice to Indian industry and if the EU takes any such step, India will have to respond to that. “Our talks are going on the issue to find ways to deal with this, “the minister said.

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