Doha talks revival attempt from today

NEW DELHI: An attempt to break the impassé in the ongoing World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations will be made by the heads of the committees on agriculture and industrial goods in Geneva on Tuesday. Draft negotiating modalities texts from both the groups would be circulated to revive the deadlocked talks. The drafts would attempt to put numbers related to reduction of tariffs and subsidies on the table to provoke a reaction from WTO member countries.

Following the failure of the G-4 meeting to narrow gaps in the negotiations, the chairmen of the committee on agriculture (CoA) and committee on non-agriculture market access (Nama) took it upon themselves to try for a breakthrough. The G-4 — which includes the EU, the US, India and Brazil — suspended talks last month when they were unable to reach a consensus on key issues.

While the US’ offer on binding trade-distorting farm subsidies to $17 billion, up from $11 billion in 2006, was unacceptable to developing countries, the EU and the US said India’s offer on market access for industrial goods was inadequate.

The first two drafts circulated earlier this year had been rejected by developing countries on the ground they leaned heavily in favour of developed countries.