Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has stressed the need for a permanent, adequate and equitable solution to public stockholding programmes for food security purposes at the WTO and an early outcome of the TRIPS waiver proposal for vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics.

Goyal said BRICS countries should work together for strengthening the WTO and aiming for a balanced and inclusive outcome in the forthcoming WTO Ministerial Conference (MC12), later this year, keeping in mind the developmental needs of developing countries and LDCs.

The Minister spoke at a Trade Ministers' meeting of BRICS-- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa--nations on Friday.

According to an official release, he emphasised on the principles of Special & Differential Treatment for developing countries and “Common But Differentiated Responsibility” between the developed and the developing.

He also stressed the need for a permanent, adequate and equitable solution to public stockholding programmes for food security purposes. India would be looking for a resolution to the issue at the Ministerial meet.

An early outcome of the TRIPS waiver proposal for vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics; adoption of emerging new technologies in a swiftly changing world while finding a solution to the challenges of data protection and cyber security and ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns were some of the other issues raised by the Minister.

The Trade Ministers' meeting saw new areas of co-operation gaining traction such as trade in professional services,

genetic resources and consumer protection under e-commerce, the release stated

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