India’s refusal to meet the 31 July 2014 deadline to adopt the Protocol for the implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement in the World Trade Organization (WTO) framework until a ‘permanent solution’ was reached in relation to public stockholding for food security
has raised concerns in the international trading community. According to the Ministerial Decision of 7 December 20131 reached at the 9th Bali Ministerial Conference, the WTO Members had agreed to include a ‘peace clause’ which sought to shelter the public stockholding programs maintained by developing countries from WTO dispute settlement challenge so long as the developing country Member complied with other provisions of the Ministerial decision including notification requirements.