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Digital infrastructure role in e-commerce: India seeks views at WTO

The WTO's 12th ministerial conference in June had decided to reinvigorate the ongoing work programme on e-commerce

India asks WTO members to discuss e-comm issues; submits two papers

India has submitted two papers in the World Trade Organization related to consumer protection and digital infrastructure part of the e-commerce sector to initiate discussion on the subject before deliberating a final agreement, government officials said on Friday. The country wants member countries of Geneva-based WTO to discuss all these issues 'threadbare' before initiating negotiations on binding commitments or rules on the e-commerce sector. Joint Secretary in the commerce ministry Darpan Jain said the e-commerce sector is rapidly growing across the globe and as it has implications on developing and poor nations, it should be discussed in a multilateral setting in WTO and not among a group of countries. At present, a group of 87 countries, mostly developed, are negotiating to frame a pact on e-commerce rules. These two papers, he said "will form a basis for discussion. We have not proposed any rules or any binding obligations". "We are saying that plurilateral discussions have

Future of trade is digital, green and inclusive, says WTO Director-General

The World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on Tuesday said the future of trade is in services and it has to be green, digital and inclusive

DESH Bill deadlock likely to force Cabinet secretary to step in

The department of commerce finalised the new proposed SEZ law and sought inter-ministerial comments in June last year, with an aim to table it in the Monsoon Session of Parliament

Top headlines: Govt may go easy on capex in FY24, India-US trade dispute

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Trade dispute: India likely to propose out-of-court settlement to US

India may take up the matter on the sidelines of the India-US Trade Policy Forum (TPF) in Washington on January 11, a person aware of the matter told Business Standard

WTO rejects US move for 'Made in China' labeling on Hong Kong goods

World Trade Organization arbitrators concluded Wednesday that the United States was out of line in requiring products from Hong Kong to be labeled as Made in China, a move that was part of Washington's response to a crackdown on pro-democracy protesters there in 2019 and 2020. A WTO dispute panel found the US violated its obligations under the trade body's rules and rejected Washington's argument that U.S. essential security interests allowed for such labeling. The panel said the situation did not pose an emergency that would allow for an exemption under the trade body's rules. The United States or Hong Kong could appeal the ruling to the WTO's appeals court. However, the Appellate Body is currently inactive because the U.S. has almost single-handedly held up appointments of new members to the court amid concerns it had strayed beyond its mandate. As a result, any such appeal would go into an arbitration void and remain unsettled. The United States trade representative's office all

US duty on steel, aluminium inconsistent with global trade norms: WTO panel

A dispute panel of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has ruled that the US decision to impose customs duties on certain steel and aluminium products is inconsistent with the global trade norms. This ruling was given in the cases brought by China, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey against these duties. The WTO report assumes significance for India also, as the country in 2018 too had approached the Geneva-based WTO against the US move to impose these duties. According to sources here, this ruling will help strengthen the Indian case too. However, the sources said that India is inclined to resolve the dispute with the US amicably and on mutually agreed terms. India had earlier stated that the imposition of high import duties by the US has impacted exports of these products by Indian businesses. India too has alleged that the US move is also not in compliance with global trade norms. In 2018, the US imposed 25 per cent and 10 per cent import duties on certain steel and aluminium produ

Trade restrictions are increasing, especially on food, says WTO

The World Trade Organization said in a report on Tuesday that countries were introducing trade restrictions at an increased pace, particularly on food, feed and fertilisers

US won't agree to 2022 patent waivers for Covid tests, treatments

The US won't agree to waive intellectual-property protections for Covid-19 treatments and tests this year -- aligning with developed-nation peers and damaging prospects for a WTO accord

WTO calls for free trade in goods to cope with climate change

The WTO report argues that trade is part of the solution for achieving a low carbon, resilient, and just transition

Top Headlines: Auto sector's electrification race, e-comm deal at WTO

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Data Bill may not lead to India joining e-commerce deal at WTO

India has so far stayed out of a group of 87 countries, including the US, European Union, China, and Japan that are negotiating trade-related aspects on e-commerce since December 2017

India should nudge US to appoint judges to hear appeals at WTO

Dispute settlement is the central pillar of the multilateral trading system, and the WTO's unique contribution to the stability of the global economy

Protests, appeals: Why India's fishing communities are up in arms

Catch depleting as coastal infrastructure expands but there is no government, they say

Statsguru: Six charts show mounting trade troubles amid uncertain outlook

WTO also revised global growth figures downwards. It now expects the world to register a 2.3 per cent growth, compared to the April estimate of 3.2 per cent for 2023

WTO slashes global 2023 trade growth forecast to 1% as recession looms

The fresh WTO forecasts estimate world GDP at market exchange rates will grow by 2.8% in 2022 and 2.3% in 2023 - the latter is 1 percentage point lower than what was previously projected

India proposes 15% retaliatory duties on 22 items imported from UK

India has proposed additional customs duties of 15 per cent on the import of 22 products, including whiskey, cheese and diesel engine parts, from the UK in retaliation to Britain's decision to impose restrictions on steel products. In a communication to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), India said it is estimated that the safeguard measures taken by the UK on steel products have resulted in the decline of exports to the tune of 2,19,000 tonnes on which the duty collection would be USD 247.7 million. Accordingly, India's proposed suspension of concessions would result in an equivalent amount of duty collected from products originating in the UK, it said. "India hereby notifies the (WTO's) Council for Trade in Goods of its decision to suspend concessions or other obligations under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 and the Agreement on Safeguards that are substantially equivalent to the amount of trade affected by the measures of the UK," it added. The other products .

India discusses cooperation among IBSA countries in multilateral fora

India has discussed ways to step up cooperation among IBSA countries in various multilateral fora, including the UN, WTO and G20, on major issues of in the international agenda. The IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa) has emerged as a key tripartite grouping for the promotion of cooperation in a range of areas. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday hosted the 10th India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Trilateral Ministerial Commission Meeting along with Brazil's Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos Alberto Franco Frana and Dr. Joe Phaahla, Minister of Health of the Republic of South Africa. "The Ministers expressed satisfaction on the coordination and cooperation among IBSA countries in various multilateral fora, including the UN, WTO, WIPO and G20, on major issues of international agenda. They reiterated their intention to further deepen IBSA cooperation on international issues at various International Organisations and groupings," according to a joint statement issued after

G20 meet: Ways to strengthen WTO dispute settlement mechanism discussed

The meeting with the USTR is crucial since the conclusion of the 12th WTO ministerial in June, the outcome document had promised to revive the dispute settlement body in the next two years