WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/GC/W/460
6 November 2001
(01-5469)
General Council Original:  English
PREPARATIONS FOR THE FOURTH SESSION OF THE MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Draft Ministerial Declaration dated 27 October 2001
Drafting Suggestions by India
Communication from India
The following communication, dated 2 November 2001, has been received from the
Permanent Mission of India.
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The Statement made by India in the General Council on 31st October1 is supplemented  by the
following drafting suggestions.
Preambular Portion: There should be a reference to existing development deficit in WTO
agreement and there should be acknowledgement of the need to make
“Development”, the main focus of WTO work.
Para 1: Delete the word “significantly” from the first sentence.Para 2: In the last sentence replace the word “balanced” by “equitable”.
In the last sentence after the phrase “equitable rules”, add the phrase “provision for
adequate policy flexibility”.
Also introduce a new para as given below, as had existed unbracketed in the draft
Seattle Ministerial Text of 3.12.99:
“We acknowledge that trade liberalisation has yet to benefit many poor people,
particularly those in developing countries.  We recognize that more needs to be done
so that all can benefit fully and equitably from the system and from the expansion of
world trade.  We therefore commit ourselves to ensure that the benefits of the
multilateral trading system continue to grow and are shared more broadly and in a
fairer manner among our Members and our peoples.  Trade must make its fullcontribution to the elimination of poverty.  We therefore underscore the importance
of the development dimension of international trade, including the need for adequate
flexibility to enable developing countries to achieve the objectives of their market
oriented development policies".
                                                     
1 Issued as document WT/GC/W/459.WT/GC/W/460
Page 2
Para 4: Add the phrase “as envisaged in Article III.2 of the Marrakesh Agreement” after the
word “liberalisation”.   Replace the word “unique” by the word “important”. Also
replace the word “liberalisation” by the words “trade liberalisation”. Also add the
phrase “within the framework of multilateral trading system” at the end of the
sentence.
Para 6: Delete the sentence starting with the words “We recognise the right…”. Add the word
“equitable” after the word “open” in the 2nd sentence.
Para 8: Delete the whole para.  (Already covered by India’s statement.)Para 10: Delete the phrase “and improved dialogue with public”.Para 11: Delete words  “broad and balanced” as well as “expanded”.Para 12: (Already covered by India’s statement.)
Para 16: Delete the words “high tariffs” and phrase “or as appropriate eliminate” from the first
sentence and prefix “bound” before the word “tariffs”.  The phrase “as well as non-
tariff barriers” should be shifted immediately after the words “tariff escalation” and
before the phrase “in particular….”.  Delete the words “comprehensive and” from the
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nd sentence.
Para 18&19: (Already covered by India’s statement.)Para 20: To be replaced by the following:
“The Working Group on the relationship between Trade and Investment shall
continue its work in accordance with the mandate  provided by the Singapore
Ministerial Declaration. A report on this work shall be presented to the Fifth Session
of the Ministerial Conference.
Para 21: To be replaced by the following:
“The Working Group on the relationship between Trade and Competition Policy shall
continue its work in accordance with the mandate provided by the Singapore
Ministerial Declaration. A report on this work shall be presented to the Fifth Session
of the Ministerial Conference.”
Para 22: To be replaced by the following:
“The Working Group on Transparency  in Government Procurement shall continue
the study to identify the elements of transparency taking into account national
policies. A report on this work shall be presented to the Fifth Session of theMinisterial Conference.”
Para 23: To be replaced by the following:
“The Council for Trade in Goods will complete the exploratory and analytical work
on the simplification of procedures and formalities relating to importation,
exportation and transit of goods, based on proposals by Members, while also taking
into account the work of relevant international organisations in order to assess theWT/GC/W/460
Page 3
scope for WTO rules in this area. A report on this work shall be presented to the Fifth
Session of the Ministerial Conference.”
Para 24: The phrase “in the light of the increasing application of these instruments by
Members” is unnecessary and should be deleted. It should be borne in mind that themain reason which prompted many developed and developing countries to seek
negotiations in anti-dumping and subsidies area is the growing abuse and misuse by
some developed countries, of Anti-dumping and Subsidies agreement. Delete the
word “and” after basic concepts and add “existing special and differential treatment
provisions. The negotiations shall also fully take into account the needs of developing
and least developed countries”. Also delete “taking into account the needs of
developing and least developed participants".”
Para 25: In the last sentence add the phrase “while ensuring that regional trade agreements are
complementary to and consistent with WTO rules”.
Para 27: (Already covered by India’s statement.)Para 28: Amend the second sentence to read as: “The work to date demonstrates that electronic
commerce creates new challenges and opportunities for trade for members, in
particular for developing countries and that bridging the digital divide while taking
into account their economic finance and development needs is integral to improvingtheir participation in global electronic commerce. We recognize the importance of
creating and maintaining an environment which is favourable to the future
development of electronic commerce.”
Para 35: Add at the end of the fourth sentence ending with “for products originating from
LDCs”, the following terms “on the basis of common but differentiated
responsibility”.
Para 39: Delete the phrase “a Trade Negotiations Committee under the authority of” and the
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nd sentence. Delete the third sentence and replace it by “The negotiations should be
held through the existing relevant bodies of WTO”.
Para 42: After the word “negotiations”, add the phrase “taking into account the existing
imbalances and asymmetries”. 
Para 44: Delete the following portions (a) “and the Committee on  Trade and Environment”;
(b) “within their respective mandates, each”; (c) “and environmental”; (d) “in order to
help achieve the objective of having sustainable development appropriately
reflected”.
India reserves its right to make further suggestions, if considered necessary and appropriate.
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