WTO Members Urged to Adopt Spirit of Compromise
Reporting at the Trade Negotiations Committee Meeting
Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala urged WTO members to adopt a spirit of compromise and engage in genuine negotiation to overcome differences and reach agreements on key issues at a General Council meeting scheduled for July 22 to 23.
Chairs’ Reports
Members heard reports from the chairs of the negotiations on trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights, agriculture, development, and fisheries. These reports were delivered by Ambassador Alfredo Suescum (Panama), Ambassador Alparslan Acarsoy (Türkiye), Ambassador Kadra Hassan (Djibouti), and Ambassador Einar Gunnarsson (Iceland), respectively.
Agriculture
Ambassador Acarsoy noted efforts to define a roadmap for the continuation of the agriculture negotiations, citing a number of member-led efforts. These include the Brazil-led process initiated a few months ago seeking a decision at the 22-23 July General Council on how to move the agriculture negotiations forward, the recent submission by the African Group, and technical work being undertaken by various members.
Development
Ambassador Hassan reported on work with a facilitator to advance the development agenda, based on the Ministerial Declaration adopted at MC13. She also noted that facilitators are working to advance the work on the Agreement on Trade-Related Investment Measures and Article 66.2 of the Agreement on Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights.
Fisheries Subsidies
Ambassador Gunnarsson circulated a revised draft of the Additional Provisions on Fisheries Subsidies, which would enhance the disciplines of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. He noted that the majority of members see the text as the basis for reaching a conclusion, but a few members have fundamental issues and concerns.
General Council Chair’s Remarks
General Council Chair Petter Ølberg (Norway) thanked members for their comments and inputs ahead of next week’s General Council meeting. “It shows we have work to do, we have a really busy week ahead of us, but it’s doable,” he said. “Let’s do it.”
Director-General’s Summary Statement
The Director-General delivered an “impassioned plea” to members to negotiate in good faith with the common good in mind. She called on members to adopt the spirit of compromise to deliver on agriculture, fisheries subsidies, and other issues on the agenda.
Conclusion
The General Council meeting will be a critical opportunity for WTO members to make progress on key issues. The Director-General’s message emphasizes the importance of compromise and good faith negotiation to overcome differences and achieve meaningful outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the current state of play in the agriculture negotiations?
A: Efforts are underway to define a roadmap for the continuation of the agriculture negotiations, including a Brazil-led process and recent submissions by the African Group.
Q: What is the status of the fisheries subsidies negotiations?
A: A revised draft of the Additional Provisions on Fisheries Subsidies has been circulated, and small group meetings were convened to hear members’ initial assessments of the text.
Q: What is the Director-General’s message to WTO members?
A: The Director-General urges members to adopt a spirit of compromise and engage in genuine negotiation to overcome differences and reach agreements on key issues.