New Delhi, Dec. 17 -- India has approached the World Trade Organization (WTO) for consultations with the European Union (EU) as the bloc's proposed tariffs and quotas on ferro-alloy imports deepen worries about global trade uncertainty when the two parties are negotiating a free-trade pact.

India has a substantial trade interest in the products concerned and has invoked provisions of the Agreement on Safeguards to seek consultations with the EU, according to the WTO document reviewed by Mint.

The EU issued a notification last month, proposing a safeguard duty after claiming serious injury or threat to its domestic ferro-alloy industry due to rising imports.

The EU imported iron and steel products worth about $4.25 billion from India in...