The G20 Trade and Investment Ministers’ meeting has drawn to a close in the vibrant city of Jaipur, India, often referred to as the Pink City. Leading the discussions was Sh. Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, and Textiles. His warm welcome extended to the Ministerial delegations and representatives from G20 member countries, invited nations, and esteemed international organisations including the World Trade Organization, UNCTAD, International Trade Center, and OECD. Their collective commitment and valuable inputs culminated in the finalisation and adoption of the Outcome Document and Chair’s Summary.
Addressing the G20 Ministers, India’s Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, emphasised the collective responsibility of the G20 to restore faith in the global trade and investment landscape. He highlighted the urgency of forging robust and all-encompassing global value chains, capable of weathering future shocks and providing greater access for MSMEs in international trade. Additionally, he reiterated India’s strong belief in a rules-based, open, inclusive, and multilateral trading system anchored by the World Trade Organisation.
Under India’s leadership, the G20 Trade and Investment Ministerial achieved a groundbreaking consensus on five substantive and actionable deliverables. These were officially adopted within the Outcome Document of the Trade Ministerial Meeting held in Jaipur.
Among the milestones reached is the endorsement of High-Level Principles centred on digitising trade documents. The G20 Ministers established 10 comprehensive principles, guiding the transition towards paperless trade. These principles are designed to steer countries in implementing measures for secure, interoperable, and transparent cross-border exchange of electronic trade-related data and documents. Inclusivity emerged as a core principle, ensuring that this digital shift accommodates businesses of all scales.
The G20 Ministers also issued a Jaipur Call for Action aimed at enhancing MSMEs’ access to information. A detailed implementation plan, devised in collaboration with UNCTAD and WTO, will elevate the International Trade Center’s (ITC) Global Trade Helpdesk to address information gaps faced by MSMEs.
Additionally, the Ministers endorsed the G20 Generic Mapping Framework for Global Value Chains (GVCs). This framework introduces crucial elements of data, analysis, and representation of GVC data. It underscores the need to assess the resilience of GVCs both at sectoral and product levels. Guiding principles for collaboration, fostering resilient and robust GVCs, were also articulated within the framework.
Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) for professional services also secured G20 Ministers’ endorsement, encouraging voluntary sharing of best practices. This will lead to the development of a Compendium of best practices on MRAs for Professional Services, facilitating the recognition of technical qualifications for professionals across borders.
Recognizing the significance of mutual dialogues in curbing regulatory divergences and associated trade costs, G20 Ministers embraced the idea of a G20 Standards Dialogue in 2023. This platform will convene members, policymakers, regulators, standard-setting bodies, and stakeholders to address common interests, such as regulatory practices and standards.
The five outcomes garnered unanimous support from the G20 Ministers.
Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General of the World Trade Organization, delivered a keynote address, urging G20 Ministers to narrow down realistic objectives for the WTO’s 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) in 2024. Reaffirming the centrality of the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core, the G20 Ministers reiterated their dedication to fortifying the WTO’s rule-making capabilities and the ongoing negotiations. Importantly, they committed to constructive efforts towards positive outcomes, including WTO reform, at MC13.
The adopted Outcome Document and Chair’s Summary will be accessible on the G20 website for reference.
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