MC13: Talks stuck on crucial issues, EU, US block India proposals

Negotiations on fish and farm subsidies at the World Trade Organization (WTO) remained stuck on the third day of 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) with countries sticking to their respective positions.

Developed countries are not yielding to the "legitimate" demands of developing nations, officials said, adding that an outcome on the ministerial is expected to be delayed to Saturday instead of Friday.

The European Union and the United States also blocked pro-development agenda in the draft Abu Dhabi package such as India's proposal, backed by many countries, to lower the cost of cross-border remittances, and a paragraph on debt on "trade-related approach" to mitigate challenges on increasing levels of debt and global financial crises.

Hectic parleys continued through the day with green room meetings among around 30 member countries with WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and were expected to continue on Friday.

Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal met EU executive vice president and minister Valdis Dombrovskis and United States trade representative Katherine Tai earlier in the day.

"There will be discussion on the outcome document on Thursday. Several issues are under discussion," said an official, who did not wish to be identified.

On remittances, the EU came up with an alternate mechanism on financial inclusion aimed at diluting India's proposal.

As per the official, developed countries have made exclusive clubs on fish subsidies where they don't allow other countries to give sops.

Officials said the developed countries have not delivered on discussing the scope and definition of e-commerce as promised but want to extend the 26-year old moratorium on e-commerce transmissions again. Developing nations want the moratorium to end as it leads to revenue loss. The moratorium on e-commerce transmissions will expire on March 31, and can't be extended in the absence of a consensus decision.

"E-commerce moratorium is not needed. In the absence of a decision, it will not get extended," said the official, adding that countries can choose not to raise duties on e-commerce transmissions.

India on Wednesday said the developed nations in the WTO have made many promises on issues pertaining to development but "very" little action happens on those matters.