WTO expects substantive negotiation to resume from Sept

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) expects the Doha Round of negotiations to resume from September and the talks to be more substantive this time leading to agreements in at least 15- 20 per cent of the pending issues, a senior organisation official said today.

''Serious discussions are likely to begin from September as the overall environment for talks has become conducive,'' WTO Deputy Director General Harsha V Singh said on the sidelines of a Indian Chamber of Commerce interactive session.

“The talks have continued for quite some time. Now the ambassadors are discussing things in close sessions. Almost 80 per cent of the issues are resolved,” he said while addressing a seminar organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce.

He identified special safeguard mechanisms for agriculture, non-tariff measures in anti-dumping and a few areas in environmental goods and services, and fisheries as the areas expected to figure in the talks.

More market access to developed countries, as desired by India, is another issue likely to come up for negotiations.