Punke optimistic India will drop link between trade facilitation agreement and food security
July 16, 2014 | 06:33 PM
By ALEX GANGITANO
Michael Punke
Michael Punke, the deputy U.S. Trade Representative who also has the title of U.S. ambassador to the World Trade Organization, said today he believes India may drop its linkage of implementing a trade facilitation agreement and securing public stockholdings for food security purposes in developing countries.
“We‘re working very hard in the Obama administration to get off to a good start with the new Indian government,” Punke said to the Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee.
“At Bali, when we concluded the trade agreement, we negotiated very hard with India and they negotiated very hard with us and we reached an agreement. It is critical to the WTO … that this one agreement not evaporate six months after it was concluded. This is a source of an awful lot of work in our part.”
India’s trade ministry said on Wednesday it would be “difficult” for it to support the protocol unless it is satisfied that adequate emphasis is being placed on negotiations about food security, Reuters reported, even though India’s top trade official said on Tuesday the country was not placing a condition for its support of the trade deal.
Reps. Adrian Smith, R-Neb., and Lynn Jenkins, R-Kan., brought up beef exports, with Smith noting that Mexico and Hong Kong lifted trade restrictions on beef.
Punke said the administration is focusing on science.
“We decided in this administration that international rules on trade, we based on science and we are purposing that principal across numerous issues, including beef exports,” he said.
Jenkins questioned managing a U.S.-European Union trade agreement on beef.
“It is critical is that we use all the tools in our toolbox to promote our interests,” Punke said. “You mentioned WTO rules and litigation, those are tools we are applying and have applied in the context of Europe. We are not yet satisfied in terms of our efforts to ensure our bilateral trade is conducted on the basis of science.”
Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, asked Punke if he agrees with the approach to return to the Doha era, which was launched over a decade ago.
“I do think there is potential for us to make progress on Doha,” Punke responded. “We can’t simply keep going back to things that happened over the past. Bali has given us a puff of wind in our sails, the first one in a long time.”
“Our first order of business is ensuring that last year’s trade facilitation agreement is fully adopted and implemented,” said Devin Nunes, R-Calif., the trade subcommittee chairman.
“We have an important deadline later this month, and I’m closely watching to see if the WTO can still function as an institution for negotiating — and implementing — new trade liberalizing agreements.”
▪ Reuters — U.S. presses Bali trade deal skeptics to sign up as planned
Michael Punke, the deputy U.S. Trade Representative who also has the title of U.S. ambassador to the World Trade Organization, said today he believes India may drop its linkage of implementing a trade facilitation agreement and securing public stockholdings for food security purposes in developing countries.
“We‘re working very hard in the Obama administration to get off to a good start with the new Indian government,” Punke said to the Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee.
“At Bali, when we concluded the trade agreement, we negotiated very hard with India and they negotiated very hard with us and we reached an agreement. It is critical to the WTO … that this one agreement not evaporate six months after it was concluded. This is a source of an awful lot of work in our part.”
India’s trade ministry said on Wednesday it would be “difficult” for it to support the protocol unless it is satisfied that adequate emphasis is being placed on negotiations about food security, Reuters reported, even though India’s top trade official said on Tuesday the country was not placing a condition for its support of the trade deal.
Reps. Adrian Smith, R-Neb., and Lynn Jenkins, R-Kan., brought up beef exports, with Smith noting that Mexico and Hong Kong lifted trade restrictions on beef.
Punke said the administration is focusing on science.
“We decided in this administration that international rules on trade, we based on science and we are purposing that principal across numerous issues, including beef exports,” he said.
Jenkins questioned managing a U.S.-European Union trade agreement on beef.
“It is critical is that we use all the tools in our toolbox to promote our interests,” Punke said. “You mentioned WTO rules and litigation, those are tools we are applying and have applied in the context of Europe. We are not yet satisfied in terms of our efforts to ensure our bilateral trade is conducted on the basis of science.”
Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, asked Punke if he agrees with the approach to return to the Doha era, which was launched over a decade ago.
“I do think there is potential for us to make progress on Doha,” Punke responded. “We can’t simply keep going back to things that happened over the past. Bali has given us a puff of wind in our sails, the first one in a long time.”
“Our first order of business is ensuring that last year’s trade facilitation agreement is fully adopted and implemented,” said Devin Nunes, R-Calif., the trade subcommittee chairman.
“We have an important deadline later this month, and I’m closely watching to see if the WTO can still function as an institution for negotiating — and implementing — new trade liberalizing agreements.”
▪ Reuters — U.S. presses Bali trade deal skeptics to sign up as planned
