New Delhi: In run-up at the meeting of the WTO Minister later this month, developed countries led by the European Union and the US seeking to expand the problems on the table to include reform in the basic structure of the global trade body as well as sustainability, micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and gender issues in what is seen as an effort to install pressure on developing countries such as India to exchange.
At the same time, they tried to delay decisions about public share ownership for meadow – important for the Indian procurement program – at least two years and so far it did not agree on the neglect of intellectual property rights for covid vaccines and drugs.
“They try to make us agree on the agreement on fisheries without overcoming our concerns over our fishermen.
This government has stood on its land in the WTO, G20 and COP26,” said a high-ranking official.
Sources in Geneva and several trade experts say that the EU, along with Brazil, and perhaps the US, will encourage documents about reforms in the WTO, which will seek monitoring disputes and reforms on special treatment and differential along with various things.
Like ending the consensus system and the inclusion of the current plurilateral problems – the area that has been ‘does not go’ in the past for India and other developing countries.
Already, India opposed such movements, on the grounds that negotiations on issues such as facilitation of investment or domestic service regulations have not yet been agreed upon by all WTO members and there is no legal basis for it.
In terms of areas such as MSMEs, women and environmental empowerment, supporters such as the EU do not seek binding commitments from the WTO membership.
But his fear is that the inclusion of these problems in the WTO declaration will open the door for those who are brought into a framework after several years.
What happens as a setback for developing countries is that developed countries block patent agreements to provide vaccines to poor countries.
At the same time, they encourage packages in trade and covid, which are seen as efforts by developed countries to ensure unbroken equipment and secure market access.
Developed countries want to expand the WTO agenda
