India Proposes "30 for 30" Incremental Reform Plan for WTO

Amid ongoing discussions on reforming the World Trade Organization (WTO), India unveiled a "30 for 30" proposal for reform. The initiative outlines 30 incremental changes aimed at improving the effectiveness and functionality of various WTO bodies and committees.

Timed to coincide with the organization's 30-year anniversary at the end of 2024, this proposal comes after the European Union's recent offer of a comprehensive plan to strengthen the WTO's deliberative function in response to global trade policy shifts, including issues related to trade and climate change. The EU is currently lobbying intensely for its proposal, facing opposition from numerous developing countries. As a result, Brussels is struggling to secure support from these nations.

The United States has yet to present a comprehensive WTO reform proposal, with the exception of enhancing transparency within all WTO committees, according to a negotiator involved in the discussions.

India's proposal for incremental reforms is significant, as it deviates from the drastic changes suggested by some major industrialized countries. The nation believes that entering the WTO's 30th year presents a collective opportunity for members to demonstrate their continued commitment to the organization, thus bolstering its effectiveness.

The "30 for 30" initiative aims to implement at least 30 operational improvements to the WTO by January 1, 2025. India argues that these incremental, yet collectively significant, transformational changes should be showcased as the organization completes three decades.

India's proposal emphasizes operational efficiency improvements, which could include technology adoption, sharing best practices among WTO bodies, and adapting working conventions to benefit delegates in Geneva and their home capitals. The proposal contains a preliminary list of ideas to guide discussions on these incremental changes, which India believes could be implemented quickly due to their nature.

India has requested that the General Council and Trade Negotiations Committee Division of the WTO secretariat collate the implemented changes and communicate them to WTO members and external stakeholders periodically.