Brussels, 17/07/2014 (Agence Europe) - Faced with blockage by India and other WTO member countries, the EU and USA are pressing for the formal adoption - within the planned deadline of 31 July - of the protocol agreement on trade facilitation (easing customs procedures), which formed part of the Bali package at the WTO ministerial conference in December 2013 (see EUROPE 10980).
“Despite the current difficulties, the EU will continue keeping its Bali commitments and we trust that we can manage to get the rest of the WTO membership on board”, a European Commission spokesperson told EUROPE on Thursday 17 July. “WTO members will only be in a position to credibly continue working on the WTO work programme if they are able to deliver on the trade facilitation, as agreed in Bali. The conclusion of the Doha agenda would be under threat if the outcome of Bali is not respected. The EU remains committed to providing technical assistance and to supporting creation of a WTO fund, known as Trade Facilitation Facility”, the spokesperson added. On Wednesday, the US ambassador to the WTO, Michael Punke, insisted that India and “the handful” of WTO member countries that are doing a U-turn should respect their commitments. The US will insist on the deadlines and procedures being followed to the letter, he told US Congress.
The protocol agreement on trade facilitation - the formal adoption of which is hoped for at the WTO General Council on 24-25 July - is the first stage in the ratification process of the agreement. Its entry into force - which will come about after ratification by two thirds of the member countries - is hoped for by July 2015. However, India is threatening the Bali-concluded agreement. The government of Narendra Modi (who has been India's prime minister since May), considers that India is adversely affected by the Bali package, and wants to link progress on the text on applying the trade facilitation agreement to progress made on the food security agreement (which was also negotiated in Bali). South Africa has also raised concerns about this issue, and at the end of June several countries from the African Union also expressed reservations for other reasons. The issue is due to be raised at the meeting of G20 trade ministers in Sydney on 19 July. (EH)