HONG KONG, Dec 14: Campaigners belong to major world NGOs have continued to lash out at the WTO and developed countries by criticizing their policies with regard to farm subsidies and environmental issues.

International agency Oxfam on Wednesday criticized the European Union for supporting American attempts to prevent developing countries challenging rich countries’ farm subsidies at the World Trade Organization.    The US requested the renewal of the so-called peace clause, which gives countries immunity from challenge at the WTO, in October this year. The EU in a press briefing said that the peace clause was a “key principle of the trade round”, but Oxfam maintained that its renewal would allow the rich countries to continue paying illegal and harmful subsidies.

Phil Bloomer, head of Oxfam International’s Make Trade Fair campaign, said: “It would be outrageous if the peace clause was renewed. The EU and the US say their subsidies are not illegal and do not distort trade, but if they are not doing anything wrong then why do they need to seek immunity from challenge? The message this sends to the world is ‘let’s agree new trade rules, and then just keep on breaking them’.”