The current WTO Negotiations reflects the fact that the concerns of the developing countries in terms of more policy space, lower levels of obligation, market access of products of interest, better tariff-quota, reduction in the tariff-peaks and tariff-escalation and non-tariff measures are fully taken care of.
Earlier Dr Anil Sharma, Senior Fellow, National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) speaking on WTO Agriculture negotiations, pointed out that the text on Agriculture released on July this year faced criticism, as concerns of the developing countries were not addressed.
But positive aspects so far in the agriculture negotiations are that domestic consumption levels of member nations are taken in to consideration for the tariff cuts over and above the import levels.
Dr Sharma also highlighted the fact that consensus on two critical issues for the developing world, the SPs and the Special Safeguard Mechanism are yet to be achieved.
Citing World Development Report, 2007 estimates of poverty, he said that 76 % of the poor people in the world stay in the rural areas and agriculture is their main occupation. He said political consensus on key issues is required for the Round to succeed and make it a developmental Round.
Mr R V Kanoria, Chairman, CII WTO and Other Trade Agreements Committee and, Chairman and Managing Director, Kanoria Chemicals and Industries Ltd said that the session gave us a positive outlook for this round, especially with the prospect of release of Agriculture and NAMA texts later in this month.
He said that with India's applied peak tariff rate steadily coming down to 10 %, India would not face many problems in the NAMA negotiations.
Along with protecting the defensive interests of Indian agriculture we need to focus on building competitiveness in our agriculture.
Confederation of the Indian Industry
marketing@alchempro.com
