National interests won’t be compromised at WTO: Govt

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 10

The government today reiterated that national interests would not be compromised in farming and food security sector while signing Trade Facilitation Agreement under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and that India had managed to move forward in the organisations on the concerns raised by it earlier.

Replying to the clarifications sought by the members in the Rajya Sabha on India’s Stand at WTO, Commerce and Industries Minister Nirmala Sitaraman assured the House that the interests of the country were foremost and that India would not sign on any agreement at WTO till its concerns were addressed.

She said India will continue to work with the WTO for a permanent solution and that the perpetuity clause in the WTO stand comes as a relief to India.

The minister reiterated that the General Council decision on public stock holding for food security purposes is a new, unambiguous decision. It makes it clear that a mechanism, under which WTO members will not challenge the public stock holding programmes of developing country members for food security purposes, in relation to certain obligations under the WTO Agreement on Agriculture, will remain in place in perpetuity until a permanent solution regarding this issue has been agreed and adopted.

Opposition members warned that any move to sign an agreement under the WTO will harm the interests of people. They were seeking clarifications over the statement made on November 28 by the Commerce Minister on India’s stand at WTO. Anand Sharma of the Congress said the provisions of the Trade Facilitation Agreement will allow other countries to monitor India’s internal pricing mechanism in agriculture sector and harm the interests of farmers.