India has said that an instrument similar to SSM is
already available to a select few countries (mostly the developed
countries) for over two decades, and therefore, the demand for SSM was
reasonable and pragmatic.
India has sought an SSM
without it being conditional on market access, as the tool was to
counter hugely subsidised farm goods from rich countries. India also
wanted the rich nations to drastically reduce their 'trade distorting'
farm subsidies.
According to the draft text, work on a
SSM shall be pursued taking account of proposals by the WTO Member
countries and in the “broader context of agricultural market access.”
The text also says that the WTO's General Council (the highest decision
making body at the global trade body's headquarters in Geneva) shall
regularly review progress on SSM negotiations.
Food security
Regarding
a permanent solution for the issue of public stockholding for food
security purposes, the draft declaration has not mentioned a short
deadline (of December 2015 or latest by December 2017) as demanded by
the developing countries including India.
The draft
has taken note that the 'peace clause' -- as agreed during the 2013 Bali
Ministerial Declaration and later made clear by the WTO General Council
decision in November 2014 -- shall remain in force until a permanent
solution in this regard is agreed and adopted. Thanks to the indefinite
peace clause, the WTO member countries cannot challenge the agriculture
subsidies given by nations saying they violate the provisions of the WTO
norms.
However, instead of giving any deadline to
arrive at a permanent solution, the text only mentions that the
negotiations on the issue shall continue to be pursued as a priority in
the Committee on Agriculture in Special Session, in dedicated sessions
and in an accelerated time-frame.
Source:- The Hindu, 18-Dec-2015
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