Brussels, 22/09/2014 (Agence Europe) - In the wake of the failure, at the end of July, of WTO member countries to adopt the memorandum of understanding on trade facilitation agreed as part of the Bali package, on 15 September, WTO Director General Roberto Azevedo warned the ambassadors of the risks weighing on the negotiation process. “We are in a very precarious position. And at present I am not sure that the scale of the risk is fully appreciated by all”, he stated.
India is still linking implementation of the provisions of the trade facilitation agreement and adoption of permanent derogations for its policy of public stock holdings for food security purposes. New Delhi wants a permanent solution on the “peace clause” which allows developing countries to take measures for the public storage of agricultural products exceeding WTO limits for domestic support, without these measures being challenged at the WTO by other member countries. In Bali, the previous Indian government won a moratorium until 2017.
“We know that strict parallelism is not possible. One negotiation was concluded in the Bali package. The other negotiation was launched by the Bali package. We must find a way of providing comfort for those with outstanding concerns on food security. (…) It seems that the solution is still far from evident”, Azevedo said on 15 September. “Intensive and comprehensive” consultations have now begun to determine how to make progress in implementing the Bali decisions and the post-Bali work programme. A meeting of the trade negotiations committee is scheduled for 6 October. (EH)