1. India, WTO & Dispute Settlement

2. Points WTO – Introduction Dispute Settlement Body
Recent news - Appellate Body
India’s experience at WTO
India’s concerns
Export Subsidies
Agriculture Subsidies
Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum
GSP (Generalized System of Preferences)

3. Introduction - Structure
GATT to WTO
Ministerial Conference
HQ – Geneva (Switzerland)
The functions of WTO are
Administering trade agreements
Acting as a forum for trade negotiations
Settling trade disputes
Reviewing national trade policies

4. Dispute Settlement
A member country files a complaint against another country at DSB
Resolve the issue through consultation/mediation
A panel is appointed, which will conduct enquire and submit the report
Party/parties can approach the Appellate Body
DSB may accept/reject the appeals report

5. Appellate Body – US blocking appointments

7. India’s Concerns
Tariff on Steel and Aluminum
Export Subsidy issue

8. India’s Concerns - Farm Subsidy
AoA
Traffic Light Approach
De minimis Principle/level
MPS
MPS For 2014
India US
Rice
5.45%
77%
Wheat
Negative
65%

9. India’s Concerns - Farm Subsidy
Why such difference
India
MSP = ₹ per of $1=₹ the subsidy will be $325
ERP = $262.5
MPS = $62 and converted it will be ₹ 3751 per tonne US
It converts the exchange prices i.e. $1=₹ 13.4, the ERP would be ₹ per tonne
MPS = around ₹ per tonne

10. India’s Concerns - GSP

11. Question 1
In the context of which of the following do you sometimes find the terms ‘amber box, blue box and green box’ in the news? (2016)
(a) WTO affairs
(b) SAARC affairs
(c) UNFCCC affairs
(d) India-EU negotiations on FTA

12. Question 2 Consider the following statements
The Appellate Body under the DSB of WTO will have only 6 judges
They are appointed for a tenure of 4 years
They are ineligible for re-appointment
Choose the right option
Only 2 is correct
1 and 2 are correct
2 and 3 are correct
1,2 and 3 are correct

13. Question 3 Consider the following statements
The Agreements of Agriculture of WTO came into effect from 1996, after the first ministerial conference
This agreement puts a limit on all the subsidies given by the governments in the agriculture sector
Choose the right option
Only 1 is correct
Only 2 is correct
Both are correct
Both are false

14. Descriptive Questions
“Has the WTO become the victim of its own success” – discuss the statement in the context of Dispute Resolution process under WTO (250 words)
In the present scenario of the global trade WTO is more important than ever – Evaluate (250 words)