On GMOs + WTO Issues - G-6 Ministerial + SPs SSM Under THreat + India-Thai FTA

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In This NEWS BULLETIN *********************************** 1. On GMOs - Info body gives bio-tech dept a RTI

power-punch On WTO - G-6 Issues 2. India under pressure on special products 3. US urges India to open markets for imports... 4. ...what about exports to US, asks Corporate India 5. BREAKING THE DOHA DEADLOCK - India, EU, Brazil begin talks; US to join today 6. INDIA-THAILAND FTA - Thai seeks more items for trade -------------------------------- On GMOs --- Info body gives bio-tech dept a RTI power-punch http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=161059 ASHOK B SHARMA Posted online: Saturday, April 14, 2007 at 0000 hours IST NEW DELHI, APR 13: In a verdict which may have a far-reaching consequence in the future, the Central Information Commission (CIC) on Friday directed the department of bio-technology (DBT) to make public the data generated from the tests carried out on transgenic crops by agro-biotech companies. Chief commissioner Wajahat Habibullah delivered this right to information (RTI) power-punch, in response to an petition

filed by Greenpeace India, after the review committee on genetic modification (RCGM) under DBT consistently refused to part with this closely guarded secret for over a year. Striking down the DBT's contention that the data falls under Section 8.1.(d), Habibullah pointed out that the request of the applicant for toxicity and allergenicity tests on genetically modified (GM) rice, mustard, okra and brinjal cannot be refused under the RTI Act. Any further grounds for non-disclosure are invalid even if the data in reference are in the process of development. The information was also directed to be disclosed under section 4. (1). (d) of the RTI Act, which states " provide reasons for its administrative or quasi judicial decisions to affected

persons. Supreme Court advocate Prashant Bhushan who pleaded before the CIC on behalf of Greenpeace India said,” The Commission's order is significant as past experience shows that RCGM has not used the right kind of protocols for bio-safety testing". In February, last year, Greenpeace India had requested the RCGM to make public the toxicity and allergenicity data for four GM crops alongwith the minutes of the meeting. "Our victory today is in keeping with the spirit of the RTI, and has only strengthened the RTI

as a tool to building a participatory democracy, " Divya Raghunandan of Greenpeace India. ----- WTO TALKS India under pressure on special products http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=161060 ASHOK B SHARMA & ARUN S Posted online: Saturday, April 14, 2007 at 0000 hours IST NEW DELHI, APR 13: Pressures are mounting on India to play an effective role in resolving the issue of Special Products (SPs) and Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM) in a way which would not hinder market access for developed countries. SPs are to be exempted from higher tariff cuts and SSMs to be applied to prevent surge in imports. The WTO Hong Kong ministerial in 2005 had endorsed that the developing countries’ right to designate SPs and apply SSM to protect livelihood and food security. The G-33, a group

of developing and least developed countries, have since then been pleading for designation of SPs and use of SSM. “Discussion on SPs and SSM are also on the agenda at the Cairns group meeting scheduled in Lahore in Pakistan on April 16-18,” said Australian trade minister Warren Truss. Truss took part in the G-6 ministerial meeting that ended in Delhi on Thursday. The Cairns group (a coalition of 19 agri exporting countries from Latin America, Asia-Pacific and Africa) supports market access mainly through reduction

in tariff barriers. US Trade Representative Susan Schwab categorically stated that market access was key to the forward movement in talks and that India should take the lead in breaking the ice. “The nature of India’s engagement will determine that of many other developing countries in the G-20 and G-33 groups that India helps to lead,” she said. The US was prepared to do more than its part and the Congress would be willing to extend the lifespan of the Trade Promotion Authority which expires in June this year,

she added. Indian commerce minister Kamal Nath, however, reaffirmed India would not agree to any bad deal that would affect the food and livelihood security. EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson admitted SPs and SSM for the developing world, and sensitive products for developed countries are necessary to protect livelihood and food security. “But we need to know the number of SPs to be designated and how SSM would be applied,” he said. Japanese trade minister Akira Amari said, “Japan fully supports the demand for SPs and SSM by developing countries. There is a need to strike a balance between the ambitions of exporting and importing countries.” Brazilian external relations and trade minister Celso Amorin, however, said, “SPs and SSM are not the key issues. There are other issues like cut in farm subsidies and market access.” The G-6 ministerial which concluded in Delhi vowed to carry the talks forward. The next G-6 ministerial meeting will be hosted jointly by Australia and Japan in May 24 this year in Tokyo.------------------------------ US urges India to open markets for imports... http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=160940 ASHOK B SHARMA & ARUN S Posted online: Friday, April 13, 2007 at 0004 hours IST NEW DELHI, APR 12 : The US on Thursday urged India to open up its markets for imports, as it would help New Delhi in containing inflation. The US also urged India to take a leading role in breaking the deadlock surrounding WTO negotiations. Taking advantage of the rising prices of essential commodities in India, US trade representative Susan Schwab told mediapersons on the sidelines of the G-4 ministerial meeting “Imports can have a positive impact for the average Indian who will then have the surplus for

spending on health and education.” The multilateral trade talks were suspended since July 2006 as the developed nations refused to reduce their trade-distorting farm subsidies and high-tariff barriers. Since then, G-4 (US, European Union, Brazil and India) had been meeting at different places to resolve the issue. Senior trade officials of the G-4 met in Paris early this month to prepare the grounds for the G-4 ministerial meeting in New Delhi. Australia and Japan are also expected to join the G-4 ministerial

meeting. A ministerial meeting of the Cairns group is also scheduled in Lahore during April 16-18. Schwab assured if there were “substantial matter on the table for discussion,” the US Congress would be willing to extend the lifetime of President Bush's Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) beyond June. The TPA, which gives the US administration the authority to implement trade agreement without seeking Congressional approval, is slated to expire in June. Schwab said no country made any formal offer, but only "explored conditional offers". She, however, said the talks were moving in the right direction and the WTO members understood the political sensitivities of each other. Schwab and commerce minister Kamal Nath indicated the meetings aimed at stock taking and inputs would be forwarded to the WTO to add to the momentum and urgency to break the deadlock of the Doha Round. What had led to optimism about an end to the impasse was Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim's statement of a gradual narrowing of differences between the four negotiating nations. Even EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson had mentioned the talks were being held with a positive and flexible mindset.-------------------------------- ...what about exports to US, asks Corporate India http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=160941 ASHOK B SHARMA & ARUN S Posted online: Friday, April 13, 2007 at 0005 hours IST NEW DELHI, APR 12: India Inc on Thursday complained to the US that private standards imposed by US retailers and lack of mutual recognition agreements in marine, poultry and ayurvedic products were affecting Indian exports to the US. Representatives from the gems and jewellery, processed foods, chemicals, textiles, infotech,

Export Inspection Council and Bureau of Indian Standards raised their grievances at a Ficci meeting with deputy US trade representative Karan Bhatia. According to exporters, unlike EU, US does not accept the Group Certification Scheme for Indian agriculture exporters, which makes it difficult for domestic farmers to export to the US market. Under the Group Certification Scheme, a group of farmers get the certificate for recognition of their sanitary and phyto-sanitary standards in the importing countries. In other

words, the Group Certification Scheme is much cheaper than getting certificates on an individual basis. In case of the export of Indian mangoes to the US, Ficci secretary-general Amit Mitra pointed out India will have to establish irradiation centres according to US requirements for these mangoes. The US has made it mandatory for Indian mangoes to be radiated for the possible existence of fruit flies before entering the American market. “But each irradiation centre will cost around $82,000 to India, which will

increase the cost of exports. This could restrict export of Indian mangoes to the US, which currently has the size of around 2.5 lakh tonnes,” Mitra told reporters after the meeting. Also, private standards imposed by large US retailers are very stringent and much higher than international standards, Mitra said. As a result, a number of Indian agriculture exports are not able to get effective market access to the US, he said. - BREAKING THE DOHA DEADLOCK India, EU, Brazil begin talks; US to join today http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=160846 ASHOK B SHARMA Posted online: Thursday, April 12, 2007 at 0003 hours IST NEW DELHI, APR 11: The trade ministers of India, European Union and Brazil have begun their negotiations on

Wednesday in the Capital with a view to break the deadlock in the WTO negotiations. This event — G3 meeting — will be converted into G4 meeting when US trade representative Susan Schwab joins the talks on Thursday. The G-4 ministerial meeting will be followed by an official level meeting on Thursday morning. US trade representative Susan Schwab, EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson, Brazilian foreign minister Celso Amorim and commerce minister Kamal Nath are also scheduled to hold bilateral meetings. According to

sources in Geneva and Delhi, senior officials of G-4, which met in Paris in early April as part of their “quiet diplomacy” process, has prepared the grounds for the Delhi meeting. All the three Doha Round’s most critical negotiating areas — agriculture, Nama and services — discussed in Paris, will also be discussed by the G-4 ministers in Delhi. Australia and Japan are likely to join in the discussion, probably today, thus making the forum, G-6. Thereafter, some of the trade ministers are expected to fly to Pakistan to attend the Cairns Group Ministerial Meeting in Lahore scheduled for April 16-18. WTO talks reached a stalemate in the middle of the previous year owing to reluctance shown by the developed countries to reduce their farm subsidies and cut high tariffs. Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said the discussions will help efforts by WTO chief Pascal Lamy and trade diplomats in Geneva to hammer out a new trade accord and further liberalise global trade.”From these meetings, inputs will go to chairpersons of various negotiating groups (within WTO) and add momentum to the Geneva process,” he said. European Union trade commissioner Peter Mandelson said he was going into the talks with a positive and flexible approach, but declined to predict any possible outcome. “I shall know how hopeful I am once the talks begin,” he said ahead of the meeting Welcoming the G-4 and G-6 trade ministers' meeting as a move forward, Ficci has called upon the developed countries to display adequate flexibility in the ongoing WTO negotiations. “An improved offer by developed countries to reduce their trade-distorting farm subsidies and a more accommodating position on their part regarding special products and special safeguard mechanism would be critical to unlock

the current impasse,” Ficci president Habil Khorakiwala said.------------------------------ INDIA-THAILAND FTA Thai seeks more items for trade http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=160847 ASHOK B SHARMA Posted online: Thursday, April 12, 2007 at 0004 hours IST NEW DELHI, APR 11: Thailand has urged India to expand the basket of tradable commodities under the free trade agreement between the two countries. India-Thailand FTA came into operation from September 2004 and 82 items were subsequently selected for trade. ( India-Thailand FTA is slated to be reviewed in June this year before completion of its 3 yaers) “The FTA has increased the trade

between the two countries by 150%. It has benefited both the countries. We should now mutually work to increase the number of commodities for the bilateral free trade,” Thai commerce minister, Krik-Krai Jirapaet told FE. Jirapaet said that there was no need for any new major agreement for cooperation between the two countries. “We have already 20 odd agreements in place. We can extend our cooperation on basis of the fundamentals of the existing agreements,” he said. The apex quality standards bodies of the two

countries signed a mutual recognition agreement on Wednesday. Jirapaet pointed out Thailand's areas of export interest like agriculture and horticulture produces, processed and canned fruits and rubber. He said India has the lead in information technology, pharmaceuticals and automobiles and Thailand would seeks Indian exports in these sectors. Addressing the valedictory session of the third Northeastern India Business Summit on Wednesday, Jirapaet agreed to cooperate in the development of south and south-east

Asia region. He also agreed that the north-eastern India should be integrated with the rest of the region. Union minister for the northeastern region, Mani Shankar Aiyar speaking earlier on the occasion had urged Thailand to be an active partner in the development of Northeastern India in matters of trade and investment. He suggested Thailand can help in road construction, inland water transportation, rubber production, silk processing, food processing and in exploiting the biodiversity of the region. Jirapaet, however had a word of caution regarding the development concept. He called for sustainable development of the region in the interest of maintaining its ecology and biodiversity. “We in Thailand faced lot of problems in the initial

stages of development,” he said. Myanmar’s ambassador to India U Kyi Thein said his country was interest in the development of trilateral highway connecting India with Myanmar and Thailand.--

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