India to insist on WTO taking its decisions via consensus, not votes
economictimes.indiatimes.comWorld Trade Organization (WTO), focused on consensus-based decision-making and its nature of a member-driven organisation with special and differential treatment (S&DT) for developing countries, at the upcoming ministerial conference of the trade body, said people familiar with the matter.
S&DT allows developing and poor countries benefits such as longer time to implement agreements and binding commitments.
India's stance on WTO reforms comes at a time when developed countries are trying to dismantle the existing arrangement of consensus-based decision-making and replace it with a voting structure, besides involving the private sector in the functioning of the global trade watchdog.
«Developing countries don't want to give up consensus-based approach and member-driven nature of the organisation,» said an official, who did not wish to be identified.
At present, the private sector can give consultation to the WTO but not set the terms on which the members would deliberate, according to the official.
«Some countries also want structural changes to be made in the secretariat but we will insist on retaining the core principles of WTO at the upcoming ministerial ,» the official said.
The 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) of the WTO will take place from February 26-29 in the UAE.
India also wants the Appellate Body vacancies to be filled soon given the lack of agreement among the WTO members on the issue for many years.
In the run-up to the ministerial, India has also proposed around 30 reforms to improve the functioning of the WTO committees.
As part of its «30 for 30» proposal, India has suggested 34 operational changes to the body such as putting in place a 12-month cooling-off period before hiring any ambassador
