(a) the details regarding the contentious issues in Doha Round talks and the meetings/conferences
held recently to resolve the said issues;
(b) whether some countries are willing to reconsider their earlier decisions;
(c) if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether US is achieving its objective of liberalisation of markets by developing countries through
bilateral trade talks; and
(e) if so, the details thereof and the steps being taken by the Government to remove the bottlenecks
of Doha talks?
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI ANAND SHARMA)
(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 171 FOR ANSWER ON 22nd
NOVEMBER 2010 REGARDING “DOHA ROUND TALKSâ€
(a) The Doha Round of trade negotiations in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) covers a wide range of subjects
including Agriculture, Non-agricultural Market Access (NAMA), Services, Rules etc. In each area there are
several contentious unresolved issues, such as, the proposed reductions in domestic subsidies, including
cotton subsidies, proposals on Sensitive Products, tariff capping and the Special Safeguard Mechanism in
agriculture, additional tariff reductions in specific industrial goods sectors (sectoral initiatives) in
NAMA; liberalization of trade in services, development of disciplines on domestic disciplines such as
qualifications and licensing requirements and procedures; disciplines on fisheries subsidies (including
the extent and scope of the special and differential treatment to developing countries and the attached
conditionalities) and several other issues in the area of WTO Rules.
Discussions have been taking place on each area of the negotiations in the respective negotiating groups,in
the WTO, supplemented by bilateral and plurilateral meetings and deliberations in coalitions of countries
with similar interests on specific issues.
(b) & (c) While meetings are being held on a regular basis, there is no discernible change in positions
of Members on the various contentious issues.
(d) & (e) The United States has taken the position that the creation of new trade flows and meaningful market
opening , particularly in key emerging markets, namely, India, China and Brazil, is the key to Doha Round
success. India and several other countries have consistently emphasised that the purpose of the negotiations
could not be to meet the unrealistic demands of one or more members for additional market access, but to
arrive at a balanced outcome in line with the development mandate of the Round.
Following the stalemate in the negotiations after the mini-Ministerial meeting in the WTO in July 2008,
India sent out a strong signal of support by hosting an informal Ministerial meeting in New Delhi, in
September 2009, to re-energise the Round. Negotiations resumed in the WTO soon afterwards. India has
consistently expressed its commitment to a strong rules-based multilateral trading system and has been
working closely with key developed countries, including the United States, and other developing countries,
towards a balanced and development-oriented conclusion of the Doha Round.