New Delhi, Nov 11 (Bureau) Ahead of the World Trade Organisation’s 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) to be held on 30 November in Geneva, India has called for a fair, balanced and strong draft negotiating text on WTOs proposed fishery subsidies agreement, strongly opposing a revised negotiated text currently in circulation as one favouring developed nations. Sources aware of the development said it was very obvious that there was a need to balance the text, which even after factoring in views from a wide cross-section of the membership, remains skewed in favour of the advanced nations. India wants the text to be balanced and offer a policy space for future to developing nations and where fishermen are poor.
The negotiations in WTO on fisheries subsidies were launched in 2001 at Doha, with a mandate to clarify and improve existing WTO disciplines on fisheries subsidies. Asked if there was a strategy for breakthrough at MC12 in Geneva, a sources told UNI, “After 15 July 2021, the message that came out was among a large number of WTO members there was concern over the text lacking balance. Based on what was there after 15 July, ministerial interventions from more than 80 countries suggested that there was imbalance.” The major points that India is insisting through its proposals include need to have policy space to develop fishery sector in the years to come; sought carve outs upto EEZ (exclusive economic zones – 200 nautical miles); 25 years of transition period and special and differential treatment as integral part of this pact.
India has maintained that countries that have provided huge subsidies for unsustainable fishing should first take the responsibility of significantly cutting down those harmful support measures which are leading to overfishing. There are primarily three areas of fishing — territorial waters (12 nautical miles from the sea shore), EEZ (exclusive economic zones – 200 nautical miles), and high seas. There are certain developed countries which go into high seas for exploiting the fishing stock. Unlike rich nations which provide billions of dollars of subsidies to their fishermen, India’s subsidy amounts to only around Rs 1,000 crore. China, EU, the US, Korea and Japan provide USD 7.2 billion per annum; USD 3.8 billion, USD 3.4 billion, USD 3.18 billion and USD 2.8 billion subsidies per annum respectively. India mainly provides subsidies on fuel and boats. Sources said that the way the current negotiations have happened has moved away from sustainability and its goals have taken a back stage. “India and other developing countries are trying to point out the inequalities and the unfair nature of the text and we are trying to secure our own interest in these negotiations,” sources said, adding: India is trying to be in touch with other like-minded countries including developing countries who would share similar concerns and stand.