Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal has said special provisions provided to developing nations in all the agreements of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) through special and differential treatment are the non-negotiable matter for the emerging economies and they should be continued. He said the gaps between the developing and developed members have not yet narrowed down in decades but in fact have widened in many areas. And because of that S&DT (Special and Differential Treatment) provisions continue to be relevant. He added S&DT is a treaty-embedded and non-negotiable right for all developing members.
As part of the proposed WTO reforms, developed countries are saying that developing countries are bypassing rules in the name of self-proclaimed development status in the WTO. On the other hand, developing nations, including India, are demandeurs for special and differential treatment. The S&DT allows developing and poor (less developed) countries to enjoy certain benefits, including taking longer time for implementing agreements and binding commitments, and measures to increase trading opportunities for them. Currently, any WTO member can designate itself as a developing country and avail these benefits.
Goyal also pitched for resumption of smooth functioning of the appellate body of the WTO’s dispute settlement mechanism. He said ‘We need to accord priority to the reform needs, especially to the crisis at the appellate body, whose functioning should become more transparent and effective’. The appellate body is a standing body of seven persons that hears appeals from reports issued by panels in disputes brought by WTO members. Currently, the appellate body is unable to review appeals due to positions remaining vacant. The term of the last sitting appellate body member expired on November 30, 2020. Developed countries have also raised issues on working of this body and are seeking reforms in that.
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