Amidst discussions at the WTO’s ministerial conference in Abu Dhabi, pivotal decisions remained elusive on crucial matters such as establishing a lasting resolution for public food stockpiles and curtailing subsidies in fisheries. However, a consensus among members led to the extension of the moratorium on imposing import duties on e-commerce trade for an additional two years.
The 13th ministerial conference (MC13) yielded at least five notable outcomes, including the introduction of new regulations on domestic service provisions, formal inclusion of Comoros and Timor-Leste as WTO members, and the extension of benefits for least developed countries even three years post-graduation.
Piyush Goyal, the Minister of Commerce and Industry, expressed contentment, deeming it a “favorable outcome.” He highlighted progress on lingering issues, signaling potential closure in the future. Goyal affirmed India’s unwavering stance on safeguarding the interests of impoverished farmers and fishermen and successfully championing the food security cause.
Despite extended deliberations involving the 166-member World Trade Organisation (WTO), a unanimous resolution on the critical issue of food security remained elusive. India’s insistence on a permanent solution to public stock holding (PSH) and a cessation of subsidies for distant water fishing faced opposition from groups like the Cairns coalition, emphasizing market distortion concerns.
Divergent views persisted, with food-importing nations advocating for policy predictability, the U.S. seeking market access for agricultural commodities, and the EU pushing for subsidy reductions. India called for a lasting resolution on PSH and urged developed nations engaged in distant water fishing to refrain from subsidizing for the next 25 years.
Noteworthy is the substantial disparity in fisheries subsidies, with developed nations allocating over USD 80,000 per fisherman compared to India’s USD 38 per fisherman. India and South Africa jointly opposed a Chinese-led proposal on investment facilitation, deeming it beyond the WTO’s mandate, and thwarted a European Union proposal on industrial policy.
The PSH program, a crucial policy tool for procuring and distributing crops, became a focal point. India proposed amendments to calculate the food subsidy cap, emphasizing the need to update external reference prices based on outdated 1986-88 benchmarks. Despite the absence of a decision on PSH, India’s interventions in food grain markets remain protected under the permanent peace clause.
The ministerial declaration acknowledged India’s call for reinstating the appeal system in the dispute settlement mechanism. Fisheries discussions, particularly India’s plea for a 25-year moratorium on subsidies for distant water fishing, lacked consensus, allowing India to retain its subsidies.
An additional outcome involved an agreement on the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Graduation, extending concessions for three more years. Despite the extension of the e-commerce taxation moratorium, ministers committed to revitalizing the Work Programme on Electronic Commerce, considering the needs of developing and least-developed countries.
India successfully barred non-trade issues from the agenda, blocking attempts to include the China-inspired pact, Investment Promotion for Development, and resisting the linkage of trade to gender. The declaration acknowledged the role of women’s economic empowerment and their participation in trade in fostering economic growth and sustainable development.