The minister also pitched for strengthening the current consensus-based approach at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the special and differential treatment given to less developed countries and developing countries, and bringing back focus on issues that have already been finalised and mandated at previous ministerial meetings.
“India made a strong pitch for addressing non-tariff barriers that certain countries use to deprive others of market access, take necessary action against non-market economies, ensure that we have a strong dispute settlement mechanism at the WTO so that finality can be brought and discipline can be maintained,” Goyal told reporters here.
The minister made these remarks in a meeting of about 25 ministers of WTO member countries, including Australia, Singapore, France and Nigeria. WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala also participated in the meeting.
This mini-ministerial informal gathering was called by Australia ahead of the 14th ministerial conference, scheduled in Cameroon in March next year. It was held on the margins of the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) Ministerial Council Meeting here.
The other tracks which came up for discussion include resolving agri issues, including finding a permanent solution to the issues of public stockholding for food grains.
