This will come as a relief to India and other developing countries who have strongly opposed attempts by developed countries to attach social clauses such as child labour to WTO agreements.

Brittan said that the issue of social clauses can be raised by other developed countries. "Other countries can raise this issue and we cannot prevent them" said Brittan.

US president Bill Clinton has hinted that the US may push for introduction of social clauses under the WTO regulated regime.

The social clause issue has repeatedly cropped up in WTO discussions with western nations making demands of restrictions onimports from developing countries which employ child labour. Developing countries, on the other hand, feel that social clauses are merely being introduced merely to limit their market access.