Delhi wears a broad smile at Geneva table

According to an official release, the framework meets India’s key demands aimed at preserving the country’s domestic policy space by providing for special products, special safeguard mechanism, special and differential (S&D) treatment in respect of market access in agriculture, and the dropping of the three Singapore Issues relating to investment, competition policy and government procurement from the Doha agenda.

The release stated that India, together with other members of the G-20 group of developing countries, have been successful in averting commitments to reduce its de-minimis support (domestic support equivalent to 10 per cent of total value of agri production).

Its demand for Special Products and a Special Safeguard Mechanism in order to protect the interests of the farmers have also been met, the release added. Acceptance of the concept of proportionality which would require lesser tariff reduction commitments from developing countries, is another major gain.

On domestic support, tightening of the existing blue box used by developed countries for providing subsidies linked to production, is an important move in the direction of cutting down trade distorting subsidies. The elimination of all forms of agricultural export subsidies by an end date will benefit farm exports from developing countries as prices would become more competitive.

In the area of services, the framework provides that special attention will be given to sectors and modes of supply of export interest to developing countries, especially in Mode 4 which relates to movement of natural persons. It also provides that members shall strive to ensure a high quality offers for liberalisation of services, particularly in sectors and modes of supply of export interest to developing countries.

On Implementation Issues, the framework establishes a road map for resolving them by instructing the Trade Negotiations Committee and other WTO bodies to redouble their efforts to find appropriate solutions as a priority. The D-G of the WTO will continue consultations on all issues under para 12 (b) of the Doha Ministerial Declaration, including issues relating to extension of the protection of geographical indications under the TRIPS Agreement to products other than wines and spirits. In the area of non-agriculture market access, the text is the same as the Derbez Text circulated in Cancun last year. Since no country had objections to it and a lot in the text remains to be negotiated, WTO considered it safe to leave it untouched.