Page 3 - Wto

China set to challenge US electric vehicle plans at WTO, says report

China said it was contesting 'discriminatory subsidies' under the US Inflation Reduction Act that it said resulted in the exclusion of goods from China and other WTO countries

India-US successfully resolve all seven pending WTO disputes bilaterally

The resolution of all the disputes is not only a sign of strengthening economic ties between both nations, but also showcases India's new approach to trade issues

India-US successfully resolve all seven pending WTO disputes bilaterally

The resolution of all the disputes is not only a sign of strengthening economic ties between both nations, but also showcases India's new approach to trade issues

SJM hails India for blocking China-led investment facilitation pact at WTO

The Swadeshi Jagran Manch on Monday hailed India's success in blocking a China-led investment facilitation pact in the recently concluded WTO ministerial meeting in Abu Dhabi and said it was a "very significant" move for global peace. Addressing a meeting organised here to discuss the outcomes of the WTO ministerial meet which concluded on March 1, Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) co-convenor Ashwani Mahajan said China, joined by more than 120 countries, had tried to push the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement (IFDA) as a plurilateral agreement at the meet. "China's proposal was presented as if it was going to bring a big revolution in the world. But, its entire efforts to push the addition of IFDA at the 13th WTO ministerial meet collapsed like a pack of cards after India and South Africa took a firm stand against it," Mahajan said. "It was a very significant step for world peace and India should be seen as a saviour for the way it was blocked," he added. Mahajan said th

Thailand replaces its Ambassador to WTO following strong protest by India

Thailand has replaced its Ambassador to WTO Pimchanok Vonkorpon Pitfield from here following a strong protest lodged by India on her contentious comment on New Delhi's rice procurement programme, a top government official said on Friday. The official said that Pitfield has been asked to report back to Thailand after the 13th ministerial conference (MC), which has entered the fifth day of talks. She has been learnt to have replaced the Thai foreign secretary. India has expressed strong disappointment over Pitfield's remarks during a consultation meeting on Tuesday accusing New Delhi that India's rice procurement programme at Minimum Support Price (MSP) for the public distribution system is not for people but for capturing the export market, the official said. Following this, India has formally registered its protest with the Thai government and has also expressed displeasure with the WTO chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, agri committee chair Kenya and UAE. "The Thai Ambassador has been ...

It's 'sad' some countries still obstructing outcomes at WTO: Piyush Goyal

The WTO ministerial meeting in Abu Dhabi this week is seeking deals on ending fishing subsidies and extending a moratorium on digital trade tariffs - a move that India and South Africa oppose

WTO MC13: India for review of Customs duty pause on digital goods

India demands end to customs duties moratorium on e-commerce, says it impacts developing countries

India pushes for restoration of WTO appellate body as 'top-most priority'

India also called for effective formalisation of the ongoing informal dispute settlement reform discussions among some member nations at the WTO, at the 13th ministerial conference (MC13) in Abu Dhabi

India, South Africa block investment agreement at WTO's Abu Dhabi meet

"It's hard to tell if we are going to land something or if we are sleepwalking into failure," said one trade delegate

India-UK FTA: Goyal, Badenoch meet to decide future course of action

The ministers are expected to hold bilateral talks on the sidelines of the World Trade Organization's four-day summit - the 13th Ministerial Conference -- in Abu Dhabi

WTO: Fisheries subsidies are vital for developing countries, says India

With about 9 million people dependent on the sector, India constitutes 25 per cent of the world's fishermen

WTO: India argues to finalise permanent solution to public stockholding

At the 13th ministerial conference (MC13) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Abu Dhabi, 164 member nations are participating in negotiations on agriculture

WTO adopts new plurilateral agreement on domestic services regulation

The services domestic regulation agreement entered into force at the 13th Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi

WTO should not negotiate rules on non-trade issues, says Piyush Goyal

Says such matters should be addressed in intergovernmental organisations

Govt expresses concerns in WTO meet over unilateral protectionist measures

India on Monday expressed "serious" concerns in a WTO meeting in Abu Dhabi over increase in the use of trade protectionist measures by certain countries in the name of environment protection. The remarks assume significance as the country has earlier flagged issues over the European Union's (EU) decision to impose carbon tax (a kind of import tax) on sectors such as steel and fertiliser; and adoption of deforestation regulation by the 27-nation bloc. Speaking at a session on sustainable development and policy space for industrialisation, Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal said developing countries require flexibility in the existing WTO (World Trade Organization) agreements to overcome the constraints faced by them in their industrialisation. He also expressed concerns on the concerted attempt by the developed countries to club long-standing development issues like policy space for industrial development with new issues of 'Trade and Industrial policy'. The CBAM (Carbon Border ...

Govt seeks solution to long-pending food stockpile issue at WTO meet

India on Monday called on WTO members to find a permanent solution to the long-pending public food stockpile issue, saying it is directly related to achieving the sustainable development goal of zero hunger by 2030. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said that the World Trade Organisation (WTO) should not negotiate rules on non-trade-related subjects like climate change, gender, and labour and rather these should be addressed in respective intergovernmental organizations. "I re-emphasize that the development agenda would remain incomplete without a permanent solution on public stockholding (PSH) for food security purposes which is directly related to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger by 2030, Goyal said. This continues to be a long-pending issue for the last few decades and despite having a clear mandate agreed by the members in the past, finding a permanent solution on PSH remains an unaccomplished agenda on which we have to deliver in MC13. Trade

China-led proposal on investment facilitation has systemic concerns for WTO

The attempt of a group of countries led by China to integrate a proposal on investment facilitation into the World Trade Organisation has systemic concerns for the WTO and it would impact developing nations in pursuing their interest in future, experts say. They said that the proposal talks about facilitating investments in the WTO member countries, but there is mixed evidence that such agreements help attract investors. The concerns of the experts on the issue assumes significance as a China-led group of 130 countries are pushing to get an approval on their Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) proposal in the WTO's 13th ministerial conference (MC) this month. The four-day meeting of trade ministers of 164-member global trade rule making body WTO begins on February 26 at Abu Dhabi, UAE. MC is the highest decision making body of the WTO. The experts also said that this is a proposal of a group of countries, which is called a plurilateral agreement or joint statement ...

Streaming a movie abroad may soon come with taxes at border; WTO to decide

The tariff ban has helped fuel the fastest-growing segment of world trade: digital goods and services. They're key to the success not just of tech companies like Amazon.com Inc. and Netflix Inc.

WTO meet: Govt to oppose continuation of moratorium on e-comm trade duties

India is not in favour of further continuation of moratorium on customs duties on e-commerce trade at the WTO's meeting in Abu Dhabi later this month as it is impacting the developing countries, an official said on Tuesday. The official said that there is a work programme on e-commerce trade and the members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) should continue to discuss the issue under that. "We are not in favour of extension. We are in favour of continuation of the work programme. There is a need to look at the subject from a development dimension and not from the eyes of big tech companies," the official said. There is a need to discuss the scope of moratorium as there are revenue implications because of it. As per estimates, the potential tariff revenue losses to the developing countries are about USD 10 billion every year. For India, it could be over USD 500 million every year. "There is a need for a clear definition of e-commerce trade. We need policy space for the sector,"

Govt will seek an end to WTO's 1998 tariff freeze on trade of digital goods

The WTO has had a moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions since 1998, and members have extended the rule every two years