India eases restrictions on import of toys from China

New Delhi, Mar 2 (PTI) Within less than six weeks of
banning the entry of Chinese toys into India, the Indian
government Monday eased restrictions on their imports, a
decision the Indian toy industry says will not have impact on
the domestic market.

According to a Directorate General of Foreign Trade
(DGFT) notification, toys conforming to international health
safety standards can be imported from China.

The government on January 23 banned the import of toys
from China on health grounds.

According to the notification, the import of toys from
China will be allowed if they conform to the standards
prescribed in "ASTM F963" or "ISO 8124 (parts I-III) or IS
9873 (parts I-III)". These regulations deal primarily with
safety and health hazards.

Beijing had expressed its concern to Indian authorities
over the ban.

Chinese officials could not be immediately contacted for
their comments on the government's decision to ease import
restrictions. A response to a fax to the Chinese embassy in
the capital is still awaited.

Toys Association of India President Raj Kumar said,
"They (the government) lifted the ban but it is conditional
....it will have no effect on the Indian industry".

In the notification, the DGFT further said that imports
from China will have to be accompanied by a requisite
certificate from laboratories accredited to the International
Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation.

Earlier, state-owned China Daily had reported that
Beijing was contemplating dragging India to the WTO on the
ban, to which Indian Commerce Minister Kamal Nath had said
that the ban on the import of toys is WTO-compliant.

Shrinking markets amid the global meltdown have forced
nearly half of China's toy companies -- the world's largest
sellers -- to down shutters, a media report had said.

The China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of
Light Industrial Products and Arts-Crafts had urged India to
scrap the import ban to facilitate the growth of the industry
in both the countries.

The toys market in India is estimated at Rs 2,500 crore
while the volume-driven, price-competitive Chinese toys are
estimated to control 70 per cent of the global toys market.