WTO negotiators failed to reach major reforms: Piyush Goyal

There was no breakthrough on agriculture, fisheries and other key topics. However, a moratorium on imposing tariffs on e-commerce data transmissions was extended by two years, in a relief to businesses. World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiators failed to break a deadlock on major reforms on Friday 1 Mar despite talks extending deep into overtime here, in what some delegates said was a triumph of national interest over collective responsibilities.

Talks ended early on Saturday after five days of negotiations which failed to see breakthroughs on agriculture, fisheries and other key topics. However, a moratorium on imposing tariffs on e-commerce data transmissions was extended by two years, in a relief to businesses.

“On the big ticket items that are essential for the mandate that the WTO wants to sort out, the fisheries, the harmful subsidisation, that just did not happen, because there was not the spirit of give and take,” a senior European official said.

On the fifth day of the ministerial meeting, most ministers had already gone home, although India’s Trade Minister Shri Piyush Goyal and European Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis remained until the end.

Dombrovskis expressed disappointment over the lack of consensus on fisheries, agriculture and broader reforms, and singled out India for blame.

“Agreements were within reach, supported by an overwhelming majority of members, but ultimately blocked by a handful of countries – sometimes just one,” he said in a statement.

 “We have not lost out on anything. I go back happy and satisfied,” Goyal told reporters as talks started to wind down.

Delegates had described the talks as intense and contentious at times, but WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala sought to put a positive spin on a difficult week, telling a closing session: “We’ve worked hard this week, we have achieved some important things and we have not managed to complete others.”

India, along with South Africa, had opposed extending a moratorium on digital trade tariffs – a move that has overwhelming support of most governments and from business – but later relented after an appeal from host United Arab Emirates.

WTO ministerial meetings have failed in the past and this year’s negotiations, held in the oil-rich Gulf state the United Arab Emirates, has highlighted fissures between some of the world’s top economies.