WTO: India unhappy over slow progress on food security issue

NEW DELHI: Disappointed over slow progress in finding a permanent solution to the food security issue, government today said it would be difficult for the country to agree on trade facilitation pact, mainly promoted by the developed world.

"Till we have an assurance and visible outcomes which convinces developing countries that (WTO) members will engage in negotiations with commitment to find a permanent solution on public stock holding and all other Bali deliverables, especially those for the LDCs, India will find it difficult to join the consensus on the Protocol of Amendment," an official statement said.

The Protocol of Amendment lays the framework for trade facilitation agreement (TFA).

Earlier this month in Geneva, India had said that the country always engaged constructively and actively on TFA and was working on its commitments.

"However, India is deeply disappointed and concerned at the completely uneven progress in the other areas of work mandated by Ministers' in Bali," the statement said quoting Commerce Secretary Rajeev Kher.

In the WTO's Ministerial meeting in Bali in December last year, members had agreed to finalise on TFA and find a permanent solution to unhindered implementation of food security scheme so that these programmes did not attract any multilateral scrutiny.

The TFA, which aims at simplifying customs procedure, increasing transparency and reducing transactions cost, is being pushed by the US and other developed world as they seek to bolster their sagging economies through an unhindered international trade by way of a uniform and easy procedures at customs.