ICC seeks India's role in decision making in WTO and Stockholm Convention

The Indian Chemical Council (ICC) wants India to play a more proactive role in decision making process in WTO and the Stockholm Convention.

The Indian Chemical Council (ICC) wants India to play a more proactive role in decision making process in WTO and the Stockholm Convention.

"Stockholm Convention is a technical regulation in the context of WTO. Therefore, trade restrictive decision under the Stockholm Convention cannot be taken in a manner that is inconsistent with the guiding principles applicable to technical regulation (TR) under WTO,"4 the ICC said in a letter to the Department of Commerce.

According to the ICC, of the 175 countries that are party to the Stockholm Convention, 135 are members at the WTO. For these 135 countries including India, there is mandatory obligation to perform both WTO and Stockholm Convention in good faith.

?One treaty cannot be used to nullify or circumvent the provisions of another. This illegitimate attempt is slowly evolving in the Stockholm Convention led covertly by some powerful countries which control nearly 60 per cent of world exports of chemicals,? it said.

The ICC felt that though initial efforts must be made to find a solution within the Stockholm Convention itself, India can simultaneously take the lead and send suitable communication to select forums such as chairman and members of committee on trade environment of the WTO under intimation to select countries such as BRICS. This would save the Stockholm Convention from being misused for trade purposes.

The ICC suggested that India should not always wait for others to lead. ?We can be proactive,? it said.