“WTO meet: Civil society urges govt to protect farmers, fishers, traders”. 24 November 2017

Civil society organisations have come together to urge the government to protect the interests of small farmers’ and artisanal fishers’ at the forthcoming World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial meeting and not agree on a new work programme on e-commerce...

...A primary area of concern is the attempt by developed countries to impose even harder terms on the permanent solution for allowing public stock holding subsidies than the already onerous conditions attached to the existing ‘peace clause’.

“The Right to Food (RTF) Campaign in India has repeatedly asked the government to ensure that a permanent solution has easier terms than the Peace Clause. Also new crops should be covered under the permanent solution,” said Madhuri from the RTF Campaign.

The government also needs to address the superstructure of the extra aggregate measurement of support (AMS) and the Green Box enjoyed by the rich countries, pointed out Yudhvir Singh of Bhartiya Kisan Union.

"The WTO must move on India-China’s proposal on eliminating trade-distorting AMS [Aggregate Measurement of Support] by developed countries as more than 100 developing countries and LDCs are supporting it", [Singh] said.

India should therefore stand by an absolute standstill on e-commerce at the WTO ministerial...