India gets backing of US civil society groups for its WTO stand

Ahead of the WTO ministerial meet in Nairobi from December 15-18, India received a shot in the arm with US civil society groups backing its stand at the WTO. India has been demanding that the World Trade Organization (WTO) take steps, on a priority basis, to safeguard the interests of poor farmers as well as the food security programmes in developing countries.

The developed world, including the US, is keen on introducing ‘new’ issues such as e-commerce, global value chains, labour, competition and environment during the Nairobi meet, instead of taking forward the ongoing Doha Round negotiations, which has a ‘development’ agenda. Being one of the leading developing countries, India wants the Nairobi meet to take up on priority negotiations on an effective Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM). SSM is a trade remedy allowing developing countries to temporarily increase duties to counter sudden import surges or price falls of farm items, thereby protecting poor farmers. India has been demanding a permanent solution to the issue of public food stockholding in developing countries for food security purposes and has also sought a drastic reduction of ‘trade distorting’ farm subsidies of the developed countries.

In a letter to the United States Trade Representative (USTR) Michael Froman, some of the US-based NGOs urged him to ensure that the US supports a ‘functional’ SSM, without making that support dependent on other concessions on market access. These civil society groups also included Action Against Hunger, Bread for the World, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, Mercy Corps, American Jewish World Service and Church World Service.

The groups pointed out that import surges of farm products are a documented reality under the current rules and not a prospective risk should further market access be granted. The groups have asked the US to support the efforts of developing countries to confront volatility in international markets for agricultural goods.

Urging the US to agree to a developing country group proposal on a permanent solution to the issue of food stocks programmes to support food security, the letter stated, “No country should be prevented from supporting programmes to ensure local food production to feed their people, something that is likely to become even more critical in an era of climate change.”

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