Fisheries negotiations at WTO

The Sustainable Development Goal 14.6 has the target to “prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing and eliminate subsidies that contribute to Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing.” However developed countries are pushing to ignore the second half of that mandate which states that “appropriate and effective special and differential treatment (SDT) for developing and least-developed countries should be an integral part” of negotiations.

Statements and analysis from civil society

What does the WTO Fisheries Subsidies Agreement mean for sustainability and development? (PANG, 17 June 2022)

Indonesian Civil society group open letter regarding fisheries subsidy negotiations in WTO. (12 June 2022)

Special and Differential Treatment takes a beating in the new Draft Fisheries Text submitted to Ministers for WTO MC12. (Ranja Sengupta, TWN, 11 June 2022)

Letter to the Indian Government and Press Statement from National Platform for Small Scale Fish Workers (NPSSFW). (11 June 2022)

Letter from the National Fishworkers' Forum India to the Commerce Minister of India on the issue of the proposed WTO Agreement to discipline fisheries subsidies which is slated to be concluded at MC12. (9 June 2022)

Letter from over 80 national and global fisherfolk and development organizations in favor of a pro-development outcome on fishing subsidies at MC12: English, French. (1 June 2022)

Fisheries subsidies negotiations towards the WTO’s 12th Ministerial Conference: Considerations for developing countries and LDCs. (Ranja Sengupta, TWN, 27 May 2022)

Off the Hook: How the big subsidisers are avoiding responsibility in the WTO fisheries subsidies negotiations (19 April 2022)

PANG assessment of November Fisheries Chairs Text (276/Rev2). (18 November 2021)

Catching development – Acting together for sustainable fisheries trade. (Civil Society Event at the WTO Public Forum, 30 September 2021)

WTO Fisheries subsidies process changes to disadvantage developing countries. (23 September 2021)

Global talks on Fisheries subsidies must target big subsidisers not development. (13 July 2021)

PAYING THE PRICE: Small scale fishers and the world trade organization's negotiations on fisheries subsidies, Q&A. (23 June 2021)

PANG analysis of the May 2021 Chair's Draft Consolidated Text on Fisheries Subsidies Negotiations at the World Trade Organization. (15 June 2021)

Protecting the Problem – Fisheries subsidies negotiations and the WTO. (17 March 2021)

PANG analysis of the December 2020 Chair's Draft Consolidated Text on Fisheries Subsidies Negotiations at the World Trade Organization. (15 March 2021)

WTO Fisheries subsidy negotiations being used to undermine sovereignty and development. (7 October 2020)

Big impacts for small scale fishers: The World Trade Organization’s negotiations on fisheries subsidies and the need for the voice of small-scale fishers. (August 2020)

Call to Halt Fisheries Subsidies Negotiations in the Middle of the COVID 19 Crisis: English, Spanish, French. (1 April 2020)

Fisheries subsidies negotiations and development in the World Trade Organization. (2019)

Market access the true aim of WTO fisheries subsidies negotiations: English, Spanish. (2018)

Quote sheet and video: Civil Society Experts Outline What Is Needed to Protect the Development Mandate in Agriculture and Fisheries-Subsidies Negotiations in MC11: English, Spanish. (2017)

Analysis regarding fisheries subsidies negotiations: English: pdf, doc. French: pdf, doc. Spanish: pdf, doc. (2017)

Other analysis

Analysis of the overcapacity and overfishing pillar of the WTO fisheries subsidies negotiations. (South Centre Research Paper, November 2020)

A review of fisheries subsidies issues in the context of WTO rules negotiations. (Centre for WTO Studies, November 2016)

News and updates on the negotiations

Special and Differential Treatment takes a beating in the new Draft Fisheries Text submitted to Ministers for WTO MC12. (Ranja Sengupta, 12 June 2022)

Briefing on WTO fisheries subsidies negotiations, by Ranja Sengupta. (22 November 2021)

China & Russia reject inclusion of forced labour in fisheries disciplines, by D. Ravi Kanth. (17 November 2021)

Asymmetries aplenty in revised draft fisheries text for MC12, by D. Ravi Kanth. (10 November 2021)

Fears of "take-it-or-leave-it" deal on fisheries subsidies ahead of MC12 / US TRIPS Waiver position, by D. Ravi Kanth (18 October 2021)

WTO: ACP, African Group, India draw markers for balanced fisheries deal, by D. Ravi Kanth. (27 September 2021)

WTO Fisheries subsidies process changes to disadvantage developing countries, by Pita Ligaiula, PACNEWS. (23 September 2021)

South countries concerned over securing S&DT to their fisheries sector, by D. Ravi Kanth. (2 September 2021)

Chair of fisheries subsidies talks issues a "course correction" at WTO, by D. Ravi Kanth. (4 August 2021)

WTO DG's funding mechanism on fisheries fails to address core issues, by D. Ravi Kanth. (25 July 2021)

Ministers declare fisheries text as imbalanced & preserves the status-quo, by D. Ravi Kanth. (19 July 2021)

Attempts to deny S&DT to South in fisheries subsidies disciplines, by D. Ravi Kanth. (15 July 2021)

CSOs urge ministers to safeguard interests of small-scale fishers, by D. Ravi Kanth. (14 July 2021)

Questions posed to ministers on fisheries tilted against interests of South, by D. Ravi Kanth. (7 July 2021)

New draft fisheries text remains inimical to interests of Global South, by D. Ravi Kanth. (2 July 2021)

WTO DG expects ministers to act as "good cop, bad cop" in fishery talks, by D. Ravi Kanth. (29 June 2021)

Hypocritical positions, double-standards mark proposed WTO fisheries deal, by D. Ravi Kanth. (10 June 2021)

  Developed countries support harmful fisheries subsidies at WTO, by D. Ravi Kanth. (4 June 2021)

  Developing countries express grave concern on latest fisheries text, by D. Ravi Kanth. (27 May 2021)

Rules chair's latest fisheries text seen as "asymmetrical", by D. Ravi Kanth. (17 May 2021)

WTO DG to convene virtual ministerial on fisheries end-July, by D. Ravi Kanth. (23 April 2021)

Agreement on fisheries subsidies trumps TRIPS waiver & AB impasse, by D. Ravi Kanth. (8 April 2021)

Fisheries talks deadlocked over specific carve-out to major subsidizers, by D. Ravi Kanth. (23 March 2021)

Protecting the Problem - Fisheries subsidies negotiations and the World Trade Organization, by Adam Wolfenden & Ranja Sengupta. (17 March 2021)

Reverse S&DT to major subsidizers in fisheries disciplines, by D. Ravi Kanth. (17 March 2021)

Members sharply divided on WTO reform, fisheries subsidies & JSIs, by D. Ravi Kanth. (1 March 2021)

"Tug of war" between major subsidizers on fisheries & non-polluters, by D. Ravi Kanth. (26 February 2021)

Rules chair admits to concerns on lack of work program on fisheries, by D. Ravi Kanth. (15 February 2021)

South countries call for exception on artisanal fishing, oppose NVCs, by D. Ravi Kanth. (26 January 2021)

Rules Chair issues second revised draft text on fisheries subsidies, by D. Ravi Kanth. (23 December 2020)

Members remain far apart on chair's questions on IUU fishing, by D. Ravi Kanth. (3 December 2020)

Concerns over Chair's questions on structure of S&DT in fisheries, by D. Ravi Kanth. (1 December 2020)

Attempts at reverse S&DT to industrial-scale fishing subsidizers, by D. Ravi Kanth. (27 November 2020)

Concerns over chair's attempt to conclude fisheries deal by year-end, by D. Ravi Kanth. (26 November 2020)

Rules Chair accelerates fisheries talks to reach deal by 20 December, by D. Ravi Kanth. (25 November 2020)

Attempts to finalize "symbolic" agreement on fisheries by year-end, by D. Ravi Kanth. (17 November 2020)

Rules chair increases pace of fisheries talks through new revised text, by D. Ravi Kanth. (4 November 2020)

Rules chair to issue revised text on fisheries subsidies next week, by D. Ravi Kanth. (29 October 2020)

Rules chair accelerates fisheries talks despite COVID-19 crisis, by D. Ravi Kanth. (21 October 2020)

Concerns voiced over attempts to convene fisheries talks virtually, by D. Ravi Kanth. (16 October 2020)

Differing views on chair's attempts to increase pace of fisheries talks, by D. Ravi Kanth. (14 October 2020)

Rules chair to hold another round of fisheries talks from 5 October, by D. Ravi Kanth. (2 October 2020)

Rules chair suffers setback over proposed fisheries deal, by D. Ravi Kanth. (1 October 2020)

Rules chair to convene urgent meeting on proposed fisheries deal, by D. Ravi Kanth. (29 September 2020)

South calls for addressing scope & sequencing issues in fisheries text, by D. Ravi Kanth. (22 September 2020)

COVID-19: Concerns over limited resources to participate in fisheries talks, by D. Ravi Kanth. (16 September 2020)

Rules Chair to intensify fisheries talks amid COVID-19, by D. Ravi Kanth. (14 September 2020)

South calls for extending deadline to conclude fisheries deal to MC12, by D. Ravi Kanth. (23 July 2020)

Rules Chair issues draft consolidated text on fisheries subsidies, by D. Ravi Kanth. (29 June 2020)

South concerned over plans to accelerate talks on fisheries subsidies, by D. Ravi Kanth. (17 June 2020)

CSOs call on WTO DG to halt the fisheries negotiations, by D. Ravi Kanth. (6 April 2020)

WTO updates from SUNS (Geneva): MC 12, Ecommerce, Fisheries Subsidies, by D. Ravi Kanth. (26 March 2020)

Rules Chair issues first draft on overcapacity & overfishing, by D. Ravi Kanth. (17 March 2020)

South nations insist on S&DT in fisheries subsidies agreement, by D. Ravi Kanth. (19 February 2020)

Agreement on fisheries subsidies at MC12 remains doubtful, by D. Ravi Kanth. (18 February 2020)

Mere exchange of ideas in fisheries talks in absence of a chair, by D. Ravi Kanth. (18 September 2019)

WTO Members remain divided over new chair for fisheries talks, by D. Ravi Kanth. (12 September 2019)

Rules Chair clarifies on status of fisheries texts by facilitators, by D. Ravi Kanth. (15 July 2019)

WTO Rules Group takes up some fresh ideas in fisheries talks, by Kanaga Raja. (23 January 2019)

South countries sharply concerned over role of IGs in fisheries talks, by D. Ravi Kanth. (23 November 2018)

WTO Members debate how to organise work on fisheries subsidies, by Kanaga Raja. (5 February 2018)

US blocks outcomes, collapsing WTO ministerial conference like house of cards, by D. Ravi Kanth. (15 December 2017)

MC11 fails, and ends in disarray, by Chakravarthi Raghavan. (15 December 2017)

South insists post-MC11 work based on DDA, but facilitators omit DDA, by D. Ravi Kanth. (14 December 2017)

MC11 ending amidst endless frustration of large majority of South, by D. Ravi Kanth. (14 December 2017)

With US intransigent, MC11 may end with Chair statement, by D. Ravi Kanth. (14 December 2017)

Streamlined texts emerge on IUU fishing, overfished stocks, by Kanaga Raja. (24 November 2017)

South nations throw down gauntlet on e-com at MC11, by D. Ravi Kanth. (24 November 2017)

'Integrated text' now expected on fisheries subsidies, by Kanaga Raja. (13 October 2017)

CSOs urge WTO Members to abandon expansionist agenda, by Kanaga Raja. (11 October 2017)

MC11 will be scene for fierce US vs South battle, by D. Ravi Kanth. (11 October 2017)

South nations insist on reference to DWP in fisheries accord at MC11, by D. Ravi Kanth. (15 September 2017)

Spotlight remains on trade issues, by Martin Khor. (28 August 2017)

WTO Rules Chair issues 'matrix' paper on fisheries subsidies, by Kanaga Raja. (3 August 2017)

EU, Indonesia table revised proposals on fisheries subsidies, by Kanaga Raja. (17 July 2017)

New proposal on fisheries to undermine S&DT flexibilities, by D. Ravi Kanth. (5 May 2017)

Resistance to accelerated talks on fisheries subsidies, e-commerce, by D. Ravi Kanth. (10 April 2017)

Rules Chair to hold focused sessions on fisheries subsidies, by Kanaga Raja. (8 March 2017)

LDCs table proposal on fisheries subsidies disciplines, by Kanaga Raja. (26 January 2017)

Rules Group discusses three new proposals on fisheries subsidies, by Kanaga Raja. (20 December 2016)

Shining a spotlight on the 2030 Agenda, by Kanaga Raja. (1 November 2016)

US strikes another body blow to WTO system at Rules talks, by D. Ravi Kanth. (5 July 2016)

US vs China and India showdown on fisheries subsidies, by D. Ravi Kanth. (22 June 2015)

Malaysia, ACP Group table proposals on fisheries subsidies, by Kanaga Raja. (17 March 2011)

Divergent views on sunset reviews at Rules talks, by Kanaga Raja. (9 March 2011)

WTO Rules Group takes up proposals on fisheries subsidies, by Kanaga Raja. (22 February 2011)

Rules Group discusses new proposal on S&DT in fisheries, by Kanaga Raja. (19 May 2010)

Rules Group concludes discussion on fisheries roadmap, by Kanaga Raja. (17 December 2009)

Rules Group discusses fisheries subsidy issues in Chair's road-map, by Kanaga Raja. (9 November 2009)

WTO Rules Group discusses Chair's text on fisheries subsidies, by Kanaga Raja. (8 April 2009)

Trade: Rules Group takes up elements of fisheries subsidies disciplines, by Kanaga Raja. (14 May 2008)

Trade: WTO Rules text curbs fisheries subsidies, tightens AD rules, by Kanaga Raja. (10 December 2007)

WTO Rules Group discusses fisheries subsidies, anti-dumping, by Kanaga Raja. (1 November 2007)