Don’t make commitments at WTO without Parliament debate: civil society to govt

Civil society groups, trade unions, trade experts and farmers’ organisations have asked the Centre not to take on any commitment at the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) ministerial meeting in Nairobi next week without due debate in Parliament and public consultations.

“Given the deep democratic deficit in WTO processes, we call for a moratorium on any new commitments.

“We underline that no commitments should be made before due debate and ratification by Indian Parliament and public consultation,” a declaration ‘in defence of people’s rights at the 10th WTO Ministerial Conference in Nairobi’, jointly endorsed by several non-government organisations as well as some politicians stated.

The declaration noted with concern the concerted push by developed countries such as the US and the EU to push “fundamentally flawed, pro-corporate and anti-democratic process of free trade and investment liberalisation’’ by supporting issues that were earlier rejected such as investment, government procurement and competition policy (Singapore issues).

“Further, the so called 21st Century issues such as e-commerce, environmental goods and global value chains are now on the table with the sole purpose of eliminating autonomous policy space of the South,” the declaration said.

Trade ministers from 161 member countries of the WTO will meet in Nairobi on December 15-18 to decide on how to go forward with the on going Doha development round launched in 2001.

Civil society groups and workers organisations such as Forum Against FTAs, National Working Group on Patent Laws and WTO, Madhyam, New Trade Union Initiative and National Confederation of Officers Association participated in the national conference. Others endorsing the draft included a number of peasant organisations, student and youth groups, and people’s campaign organisations and some politicians.

Speaking at the forum, BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi said that the future of small farmers and traders was at stake and it was a very important battle that the government would have to fight at Nairobi.

“It is not the last fight at Nairobi. To win the war the government has to look ahead,” Joshi said. RSS ideologue KN Govindacharya, who too spoke at the conference, endorsed the draft. Speaking to BusinessLine on the sidelines, Govindacharya said that it was time for the government to quit the WTO as it was not able to make any gains from it.

“The government should come out with a white paper stating which sectors have gained because of the WTO and which ones have lost out,” he said.