India blocks WTO General Council meeting over investment agenda item

摘要

India halted a May 10 meeting of the World Trade Organization's General Council by refusing to agree to the proposed agenda because it included an item on "trade and investment facilitation," which India claims is outside of the scope of the WTO, according to Geneva sources. Without an agenda - the approval of which requires a consensus of all 164 WTO members - the scheduled meeting was suspended. WTO Director General Roberto Azevedo and General Council Chairman Xavier Carim, South Africa's WTO ambassador, are in intensive consultations to resolve the issue, these sources said.