WTO group proposes decision-making by ‘responsible consensus’

A group of World Trade Organization members is pushing for what it terms “responsible consensus” in decision-making, a call that comes after a few countries held up deals on agriculture and fisheries subsidies, among other issues, at the 13th ministerial conference earlier this year. Singapore, which has advanced the concept in recent years, is among the eight sponsors of a May 7 proposal to “uphold the practice of decision-making by consensus in a responsible manner.” According to the “draft decision,”...