India, South Africa, and Egypt criticized the ongoing informal discussions led by a facilitator concerning reforms to the World Trade Organization's (WTO) dispute settlement system. They expressed concerns about the process's integrity and transparency, leading to "information asymmetry," according to sources familiar with the talks. During a recent Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) meeting, many developing countries supported the concerns raised by these three nations regarding the informal process. These discussions, facilitated by Guatemala's deputy-trade envoy, Marco Tulio Molina Tejeda, originated from US-initiated talks in April 2022.
A bipartisan group of 32 senators – including the Senate Finance Committee leaders – is calling on President Biden to reversing a decision to drop long-standing US positions at the World Trade Organization on digital trade. The US Trade Representative’s Office recently pulled back from supporting provisions on the free flow of data across borders and prohibiting forced localization of data as part of ongoing e- commerce negotiations at the WTO. “Retreating from our longstanding principles without offering a viable alternative does not help US workers, it does not help US consumers, it does not help US businesses, and it does not help US allies; it only helps our adversaries,” the senators wrote in a letter to President Biden.
Asia Pacific leaders and economic ministers endorsed reform of the World Trade Organization is their final statements emerging from the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings in San Francisco. As the United States wrapped up its APEC host year, Asia Pacific ministers also stressed the importance to the global trading system of a successful WTO 13th ministerial meeting in February. “We are committed to necessary reform of the WTO to improve all of its functions, including conducting discussions with a view to having a fully and well-functioning dispute settlement system accessible to all members by 2024,” according to the 2023 APEC leaders’ Golden Gate Declaration.
Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) remained sharply divided on key agricultural negotiation issues, casting doubts on the possibility of a resolution at the WTO's 13th ministerial conference in Abu Dhabi, February 2024. During the Doha negotiating body's recent two-day meeting, discussions focused on public stockholding programs, the special safeguard mechanism, reform of agricultural domestic support, and updating the fixed external reference price based on 1986-88 data. Similar divisions in the past have hindered substantial outcomes in Buenos Aires (2017) and Geneva (2022).
The three co-conveners of the Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) on electronic commerce negotiations have released a fifth revised draft text. This version significantly dilutes the previously ambitious digital trade agreement, transforming it into a facilitation deal with proposals based on best endeavors, according to sources familiar with the new text. After over six years of negotiations, the conveners are reportedly hastening to finalize a modest deal in time for the World Trade Organization's (WTO) 13th ministerial conference in Abu Dhabi early next year.
The second phase of the World Trade Organization's Doha fisheries subsidies agreement remains unclear. Key issues include disciplining major subsidizers responsible for global fish stock depletion. The week-long Doha negotiating group discussions at the WTO saw proposals for managing overcapacity and overfishing subsidies by major players like the EU, the US, China, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, and Korea. The final negotiation round next month precedes the WTO's 13th ministerial conference in February 2024.
Many World Trade Organization members last week flagged their core priorities for next year’s 13th ministerial conference, cautioning the credibility of the trade body could be lost if it cannot deliver on mandated issues in areas like TRIPS, agriculture and development. At an informal General Council meeting held Wednesday, trade envoys echoed their divergent priorities for the possible deliverables at the MC13.
World Trade Organization members participating in the plurilateral Joint Statement Initiative negotiations on e-commerce were taken by surprise yesterday by the United States’ announcement it with withdrawing its support for three core proposals – cross-border data flows, the location of computing facilities and source code, according to participants involved in the discussions. At a meeting of the JSI on digital trade Wednesday, a US official announced that Washington is withdrawing the proposals on the three issues due to on public policy considerations as well as privacy grounds, said participants who asked not to be quoted.
Geneva – The World Trade Organization’s Dispute Settlement Body Oct. 26 gave a green signal for establishing a panel to rule against the imposition of US antidumping duties on imported oil country tubular goods from Argentina. At a DSB meeting Oct. 26, Argentina pressed ahead with its second request for establishing a panel against Washington’s antidumping duties on imported oil country tubular goods from Argentina. Though the United States expressed disappointment with the Argentinean second request, it could not prevent the establishment of a panel.
World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala announced the appointment yesterday of Johanna Hill of El Salvador as a new Deputy DG. Ms. Hill fills the vacancy left following the departure of Anabel González of Costa Rica, who served as DDG for two years.
World Trade Organization (WTO) members convened to discuss the array of issues laid out by Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for the Senior Officials Meeting (SOM). Despite the discussions, doubts persist among those familiar with the matter regarding the potential for meaningful outcomes from this high-profile event. The SOM, scheduled for October 23-24, has been specifically organized to prepare deliverables and provide guidance for the negotiations leading up to the WTO's 13th ministerial conference in February 2024. During an informal heads of delegations meeting, the Director-General emphasized that the SOM should be structured to ensure full participation, inclusiveness, and transparency.
The individual overseeing the informal talks about reforming the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) dispute resolution system has shared a confidential preliminary draft. This draft appears to significantly weaken the enforcement capacity of the WTO, seemingly in alignment with the preferences of the United States, according to those privy to the document. The initial draft, as viewed by our correspondent, includes a footnote suggesting that the document may eventually take the form of a “Ministerial Decision.” Yet, the final format will be determined by the plenary based on the document's substantive content.
WTO's sixth "Fish Week" began on 9 October, shifting to text-based negotiations on overcapacity and overfishing subsidies. With the Senior Officials Meeting set for 23-24 October and the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) on 26-29 February 2024, intensification in talks is evident.
India has submitted a comprehensive proposal to the facilitator of the informal discussions on reforming the World Trade Organization’s dispute settlement system, Mario Molina, Paraguay's deputy trade envoy. India is pressing for a waiver on the draft text's provisions against cross-retaliation, revealed an unnamed source.
The global merchandise trade finds itself in dire straits due to a slump in manufacturing. Growth has been adjusted down to 0.8 percent for this year, which is less than half of the 1.7 percent increase projected in April. This information comes from figures released by the World Trade Organization’s economists this week. Unlike the UNCTAD’s Trade and Development Report 2023, which suggested economies of EU member countries, especially Germany, as primary contributors to a bleak outlook, the WTO points towards risks from a sharper-than-expected downturn in China and a possible resurgence of inflation in advanced economies.
Last week World Trade Organization's Director-General, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, proposed the agenda for the forthcoming capital-based senior officials meeting scheduled to start on October 23 in Geneva. This agenda encompasses controversial, non-mandated subjects that several members are keen on discussing during the meeting.
The United States is apparently going to work closely with China on Washington’s proposal to enhance transparency at the World Trade Organization, as some members seemed indifferent or somewhat opposed to the US proposal to improve transparency with some naming-and-shaming provisions, our correspondent has learned. During the group meetings to discuss industrial policies, industrialization and policy space at the just-concluded retreat on Tuesday, Washington and Beijing – which were placed in the same group – discussed how to extend special and differential treatment while adhering to transparency provisions.
India defended its new ban on rice exports at the World Trade Organization, insisting that it is a regulation rather than a restriction and critical for ensuring the food security of 1.4 billion people, in the face of a volley of questions and concerns from the United States, Canada and Australia among others, our correspondent reports. At the WTO’s Committee on Agriculture meeting, India said it is committed to ensuring food security in importing countries by granting exemptions to those in need upon their governments' requests. India said it continues to provide food assistance to vulnerable countries based on mutual agreements on the quantity.
Amidst tectonic shifts in the global electronic commerce and supply chains, China has issued a proposal on how electronic payments must be conducted in the ongoing Joint Statement Initiative on digital trade, WTD has learned. China’s restricted proposal INF/ECOM/80 circulated yesterday is apparently a revised negotiating textual proposal on e-payments and logistics services. It seeks to promote the adoption of international standards, interoperability, and transparency.
Many developing countries, including the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific group, expressed sharp concerns over the draft fisheries subsidies negotiating text issued by Chair Ambassador Einar Gunnarsson of Iceland, arguing that it is tilted toward preserving the overcapacity and overfishing subsidies availed by big subsidizers.
