India wants corrections in Nama text
Fresh drafts on agriculture and non-agriculture market access (Nama or industrial goods), circulated at the WTO will form the basis of the negotiations in the mini-ministerial meet scheduled to take place later this month.
By ET Bureau |
NEW DELHI: Fresh drafts on agriculture and non-agriculture market access (Nama or industrial goods), circulated at the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Thursday night, will form the basis of the negotiations in the mini-ministerial meet scheduled to take place later this month.
The Indian industry has said the Nama draft needs further improvement as it still diluted the flexibilities offered to developing nations in the mandate of the ongoing Doha round.
While the agriculture text has attempted to address some concerns raised by India and other developing countries related to flexibilities to protect its poor and vulnerable farmers, the government is studying the text to identify areas where it could be improved.
According to Ficci, the anti-concentration clause, which continues to find mention in the revised Nama draft, would put restrictions on the flexibilities for developing countries like India.
Although the July 2004 framework stated that the flexibilities given to developing countries could not be used to exclude entire tariff chapters (say, fertilisers) from cuts, it meant that developing countries had the flexibility to protect most items in one chapter as long as it left out some.
���The new clause seeks to lay down limits beyond which items in a single chapter cannot be protected from tariff cuts even if the total number of items to be protected fall within the overall limit of protection allowed to a developing country,��� a source said.
Ficci said the latest draft suggested restrictions beyond the given mandate. ���Such unduly restrictive clause disregards the realities and sensitivities of the Indian industry and, therefore, should be deleted from the text,��� it said.
The Confederation of Indian Industry said the new draft on Nama links flexibilities with coefficient, thereby belittling Para 15 of the Hong Kong declaration that reaffirms the importance of flexibilities and, hence, its standalone provision. Ficci added that any additional flexibility or carve-outs cannot be provided to one or two particular members and should be multilateralised.
The Indian industry has said the Nama draft needs further improvement as it still diluted the flexibilities offered to developing nations in the mandate of the ongoing Doha round.
While the agriculture text has attempted to address some concerns raised by India and other developing countries related to flexibilities to protect its poor and vulnerable farmers, the government is studying the text to identify areas where it could be improved.
According to Ficci, the anti-concentration clause, which continues to find mention in the revised Nama draft, would put restrictions on the flexibilities for developing countries like India.
Although the July 2004 framework stated that the flexibilities given to developing countries could not be used to exclude entire tariff chapters (say, fertilisers) from cuts, it meant that developing countries had the flexibility to protect most items in one chapter as long as it left out some.
���The new clause seeks to lay down limits beyond which items in a single chapter cannot be protected from tariff cuts even if the total number of items to be protected fall within the overall limit of protection allowed to a developing country,��� a source said.
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Ficci said the latest draft suggested restrictions beyond the given mandate. ���Such unduly restrictive clause disregards the realities and sensitivities of the Indian industry and, therefore, should be deleted from the text,��� it said.
The Confederation of Indian Industry said the new draft on Nama links flexibilities with coefficient, thereby belittling Para 15 of the Hong Kong declaration that reaffirms the importance of flexibilities and, hence, its standalone provision. Ficci added that any additional flexibility or carve-outs cannot be provided to one or two particular members and should be multilateralised.
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