According to New Zealand and the United States, Indonesia imposes prohibitions or restrictions on imports of horticultural products, animal and animal products; imposes unjustified and trade-restrictive non-automatic import licensing requirements on imports of such products; accords less favourable treatment to imported products than to like products of national origin; has imposed unreasonable and discriminatory pre-shipment inspection requirements; and has failed to notify and publish sufficient information concerning its import licensing measures.

New Zealand and the United States claim that these measures are inconsistent with Indonesia’s obligations under the GATT 1994, the Agreement on Agriculture, the Agreement on Import Licensing procedures and the Agreement on Pre-shipment Inspection.

New Zealand and the United States propose to Indonesia that consultations be held jointly.

New Zealand and the United States already requested consultations with Indonesia last year over similar issues. In New Zealand’s dispute (DS466) no dispute panel was established and no withdrawal or mutually agreed solution was notified. In the case of the previous United States’ dispute (DS455) the panel was established but no action was taken after that. Some of the measures that originated the complaints appear to be still in place.

> Further information will be available within the next few days in documents WT/DS477/1 and WT/DS478/1.

What is a request for consultations?

The request for consultations formally initiates a dispute in the WTO. Consultations give the parties an opportunity to discuss the matter and to find a satisfactory solution without proceeding further with litigation. After 60 days, if consultations have failed to resolve the dispute, the complainant may request adjudication by a panel.

> More on consultations
> Current status of disputes