Whalesbook
Yaar, ye WTO ki MC14 meeting na, ekdum flop rahi. Kisi bhi bade issue par agreement bana hi nahi, jiske chalte global trade ka future ab uncertain ho gaya hai. Aur sabse bada jhatka ye mila ki jo digital trade par duty lagane se rokne wala rule tha, woh ab 26 saal baad expire ho gaya hai!
Asal mein, ye rule 1998 se tha, matlab jab se internet chal raha hai tab se koi bhi desh e-commerce transactions par customs duty nahi laga sakta tha. Ab ye band ho gaya hai.
Iske peeche US aur Brazil ke beech bada jhagda tha. America chahta tha ye rule permanently extend ho jaaye, unke tech giants ke liye fayda. Par Brazil ne kaha, 'Nahi, agriculture deal mein kuch karo tabhi ye aage badhega.' Aur India jaise developing countries ko revenue chahiye aur apni digital economy ko bhi manage karna hai. Isiliye develop countries ko open digital trade chahiye par developing countries ko policy space chahiye.
Aur bhi differences the. India ne toh China ka Investment Facilitation Agreement bhi pass nahi hone diya. Europe aur China digital trade rules par saath hain, par US ka stand thoda alag hai. Ye sab geopolitics aur protectionism ke beech ho raha hai, jiski wajah se log bilateral aur plurilateral deals bana rahe hain.
Is failure se WTO ki credibility par bahut bada sawal uth gaya hai. Consensus se chalne wala system ab kaam nahi kar raha. Ab digital trade ki discussions shayad WTO ke bahar hi hongi. E-commerce moratorium ke expire hone se global digital economy fragmented ho sakti hai, businesses aur customers ke liye costs badh sakti hain.
Abhi talks Geneva mein chalu rahengi, par lagta nahi ki jaldi koi bada solution niklega. Ye sab dekh kar lagta hai ki ab sab regional blocs aur plurilateral agreements ki taraf bhaagenge. MC14 ki failure WTO ke liye ek bada crisis hai.