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TWN
Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Feb24/16) Disciplines on fisheries subsidies have been discussed and mandated to be negotiated in the World Trade Organization (WTO) since 2001. The Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies was signed in 2022 at the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) of the WTO, but covered only illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and overfished stocks – consisting two out of the three negotiating pillars. The third pillar, which concerns subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing (OCOF), has continued to be negotiated since MC12 as Member States could not reach an agreement earlier. The long battle over the substance of the OCOF disciplines points to the important role such subsidies play in most countries. Amid attempts to strike an agreement in this area at the WTO’s 13th Ministerial Conference, to be held in Abu Dhabi on 26-29 February 2024, a new Briefing Paper published by the Third World Network highlights the major issues under negotiation and assesses the disciplines proposed for consideration at MC13. “Fishing subsidies negotiations towards MC13: Some key issues” by TWN senior researcher Ranja Sengupta is available here. With best wishes, Third World Network
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