Farm, Nama at centre of WTO talks
A day before the crucial mini-ministerial meet of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the stage seems to be set for a battle between the developed and developing countries.
By Amiti Sen, ET Bureau |
GENEVA: A day before the crucial mini-ministerial meet of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the stage seems to be set for a battle between the developed and developing countries. While developed countries, including the US and the EU, are trying to push developing countries to minimise the number of products they would shield from tariff cuts (an allowance given to developing countries under the special & differential treatment clause), the poorer countries are bent on ensuring that they get more out of the round than their rich counterparts.
���We should know by Monday evening the vision tour of the entire agriculture and Nama (industrial goods) negotiations by 30-odd ministers. Everyone has taken their positions,��� commerce secretary G K Pillai said after a meeting of the G-33 group of developing countries with defensive interests in agriculture.
The five-day ministerial beginning on Monday is important as it could determine whether the Doha round stood a chance for completion this year. If the ministerial failed in narrowing differences in agriculture and industrial goods, the Doha round, which began in September 2001, could go on till 2010 or later.
In Nama, the EU is trying to convince India to take on reduction commitments in areas such as chemicals, textiles and automobiles, which New Delhi is resisting. ���We have been given flexibilities under the Doha mandate which allows us to shield our sensitive industrial products. We are not going to allow our infant industries to be harmed by the WTO agreement,��� an official said.
���In Nama, developing countries are contributing more than developed countries. We are satisfying their needs by making cuts, but they are not,��� Venezuelan trade minister William A Contreras said.
Agriculture, too, is an area where emotions are running high. The over 40 developing countries who are part of the G-33 say there would not be a deal till their concerns in the area of providing adequate safeguards to protect poor farmers is met.
Indonesian trade minister Mari Elka Pangestu, who heads the G-33, said developing countries cannot compromise on their bottom lines. ���Ensuring the livelihood of millions of farmers is the key and ensuring we have the right level of safeguard and protection from surge of imports and price decline especially in today���s situation of uncertainty becomes even more of an imperative,��� she said after the G-33 meeting on Sunday.
Ms Pangestu added that the Doha round was a development round and if developing countries do not get their bottom lines in agriculture, then it ceases to be a development round.
���We should know by Monday evening the vision tour of the entire agriculture and Nama (industrial goods) negotiations by 30-odd ministers. Everyone has taken their positions,��� commerce secretary G K Pillai said after a meeting of the G-33 group of developing countries with defensive interests in agriculture.
The five-day ministerial beginning on Monday is important as it could determine whether the Doha round stood a chance for completion this year. If the ministerial failed in narrowing differences in agriculture and industrial goods, the Doha round, which began in September 2001, could go on till 2010 or later.
In Nama, the EU is trying to convince India to take on reduction commitments in areas such as chemicals, textiles and automobiles, which New Delhi is resisting. ���We have been given flexibilities under the Doha mandate which allows us to shield our sensitive industrial products. We are not going to allow our infant industries to be harmed by the WTO agreement,��� an official said.
���In Nama, developing countries are contributing more than developed countries. We are satisfying their needs by making cuts, but they are not,��� Venezuelan trade minister William A Contreras said.
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Pointing out that in the round developed countries were supposed to give out much more than developing countries, Mr Contreras said: ���I don���t think Doha round is respectful to the original mandate of 2001.���Agriculture, too, is an area where emotions are running high. The over 40 developing countries who are part of the G-33 say there would not be a deal till their concerns in the area of providing adequate safeguards to protect poor farmers is met.
Indonesian trade minister Mari Elka Pangestu, who heads the G-33, said developing countries cannot compromise on their bottom lines. ���Ensuring the livelihood of millions of farmers is the key and ensuring we have the right level of safeguard and protection from surge of imports and price decline especially in today���s situation of uncertainty becomes even more of an imperative,��� she said after the G-33 meeting on Sunday.
Ms Pangestu added that the Doha round was a development round and if developing countries do not get their bottom lines in agriculture, then it ceases to be a development round.
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Mr Pillai said in the architecture on special products (SPs) and SSM (special safeguard measures) main features were there and now the G-33 has to work forward to get what it wants. The special products category is designed to help developing countries shield agricultural products important for food and livelihood security and rural development. The G-33 is also against average cut in tariffs of special products, which would mean steeper cuts on some products if others are exempt any cuts.Download
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