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Peter Ungphakorn (also on Bluesky and Mastodon) Profile picture
@CoppetainPU
Jun 13, 2021 • 17 tweets • 15 min read • Read on X
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#G7 #G7TradeMinisters communiqué:

Now circulated in @wto. Its 6 pages includes a couple of paragraphs on “#TradeTransparency”

Includes “transparency in all respects” but the focus is narrow:

• market distorting practices
• notifications on goods

1/16 docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/S…
But #TradeTransparency and #wtoTransparency are much more than that.

The #G7TradeMinisters have nothing to say on improving external transparency so the world knows what is happening in the WTO and in other trade negotiations

2/16 tradebetablog.wordpress.com/2021/04/26/wto…
What else do the #G7 #G7TradeMinisters say?

First some nice words on being committed to “free and fair trade” (who isn’t?), tackling the pandemic (who isn’t?), sustainable development goals (who isn’t?), and support @wto reform (who isn’t?)

3/16 docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/S…
Then straight into the real priority, tackling market-distorting practices.

No need to explain what this is about 🇨🇳

But the G7 also have market-distorting policies. Can we look forward all WTO members scrapping trade-distorting farm subsidies. No?

4/16 docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/S…
And that explains why transparency comes next, starting with “the opaqueness of market-distorting policies and practices”

5/16 docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/S…

Next comes a massive problem facing the WTO, the crisis in the appeal stage of dispute settlement. …
A problem so massive the text can fit into a tweet

“We engaged in frank and constructive discussions regarding reform of the WTO Dispute Settlement System, and committed to continuing these discussions ahead of our meeting in October.”

Sure.

6/16 docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/S…
Next, special treatment for developing countries. This is a reasonable statement

Which are the developing countries already willing to undertake full commitments? Those in or close to the OECD. China in fisheries subsidies talks, some other subjects

7/16 docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/S…
Next “plurilaterals” = talks among a subset of members, seen as the way to make progress in negotiations when part of the membership is not ready to join in.

Why restrict discussion on WTO reform to “this presidency”?

8/16 docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/S…
Forced labour

Perhaps it should be “forced labor” since this comes from the focus of the Biden administration and @USTradeRep @AmbassadorTai: “worker-centered trade policy”

Good to see no mention of doing this in @wto, but in ILO and UN

9/16 docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/S…
Modernising trade

This isn’t really about modernising trade. Trade will modernise itself anyway.

It’s about modernising trade *policies* and the international *system of rules and commitments*

10/16 docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/S…
Trade and environment

Some details, no surprises. I suspect environmentalists will say this is more than about carbon emissions and deforestation. Plastics? Minerals?

#G7TradeMinisters

11/16 docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/S…
Fisheries subsidies

More nice words. “We’re engaged. We encourage you to be more engaged.”

MC12 = 12th WTO Ministerial Conference, Nov 30 to Dec 3 this year in Geneva

#G7TradeMinisters

11/16 docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/S…
Women’s economic empowerment

More nice words but better said than not. #SheTradesOutlook gets a mention

#G7TradeMinisters

12/16 docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/S…
Trade and Health

Understandably a lengthy statement here on keeping supply chains open, working with COVAX on vaccines etc

No mention:

• The proposed intellectual property waiver. #G7TradeMinisters are split on this

• #G7 = part of the problem

13/16 docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/S…
Trade and Health, continued

Why are the #G7 part of the problem? @gtalert monitors trade barriers by #G7 and others

See globaltradealert.org and globaltradealert.org/global_dynamics and globaltradealert.org/reports
Follow @SimonEvenett

14/16
Digital trade

“We think it’s important and useful. We don’t have much to say on what we should do about it”

#G7TradeMinisters are committed to transparency in the WTO negotiations. So where are the drafts for us to see?

15/16 docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/S…
Closing remarks

“See you in October. Until then, over to you, our civil servants”

#G7TradeMinisters

16/16 docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/S…

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More from @CoppetainPU

Peter Ungphakorn (also on Bluesky and Mastodon) Profile picture
Jun 9, 2022
🧵 On Sunday, the much-postponed 12th WTO Ministerial Conference #MC12 starts.

Here is another curtain-raiser, with @BobWolfeSPS

@wto Director-General @NOIweala believes it will be a success.

But what does “success” mean?

1/11 tradebetablog.wordpress.com/2022/06/09/tou…
“Many gaps remain but we are making progress,” @NOIweala told members on Tuesday Jun 7

“The success of this whole endeavour is in our hands. Let us deliver. The people outside are waiting for us and, believe it or not, I really think we will do it.”

2/11 wto.org/english/news_e…
Fingers crossed, there might even be a deal on fisheries subsidies, she and the talks’ chair @WillsSantiago said.

But despite “cautious optimism” WTO spokesperson Dan Pruzin warned journalists to expect ministers to meet late into the night at #MC12

3/11 tradebetablog.wordpress.com/2022/06/09/tou…
Read 12 tweets
Peter Ungphakorn (also on Bluesky and Mastodon) Profile picture
May 29, 2022
Was it worth the time looking at the UK’s big deal with Indiana? The one the government hails as a “milestone” and the minister calls a “US trade deal”?

They wants us to take it seriously. So I did. Let’s say I did it so you don’t have to.

1/8 tradebetablog.wordpress.com/2022/05/29/mil…
TL:DR it's not a trade agreement.

It's a memorandum of understanding, a non-binding statement of intent.

The only trade barrier that might get tackled is govt procurement.

Indiana's state-level entities have no commitments on procurement in the WTO

2/8 tradebetablog.wordpress.com/2022/05/29/mil…
Indiana “will actively work towards” (not a commitment) treating UK suppliers the same as suppliers from other US states except those neighbouring Indiana.

“That’s the weirdest MFN clause I’ve ever seen,”—@Lorand_Bartels

3/8 tradebetablog.wordpress.com/2022/05/29/mil…
Read 10 tweets
Peter Ungphakorn (also on Bluesky and Mastodon) Profile picture
May 27, 2022
“Agreement with Indiana marks milestone in UK’s trade with the US”—the UK government proclaims

Read on

It's a memorandum of understanding on what the UK and Indiana want to develop in their trade and economic relations. That stretches the meaning of “agreement” quite a lot

1/9
Good question⬇️. Short answer: no

So, all we know is what the UK government press release says.

2/9
This is what it says:

“The MoU creates a framework to remove barriers to trade and investment, paving the way for UK and Indianan businesses to invest, export, expand and create jobs.”

Remember: all major trade barriers are handled in Washington

3/9 gov.uk/government/new…
Read 10 tweets
Peter Ungphakorn (also on Bluesky and Mastodon) Profile picture
May 22, 2022
It’s been clear for some time that WTO members are unlikely to agree on anything substantial on agriculture—despite declaring it a priority—when their ministers meet in Geneva Jun 12–15

Information from trade sources on a meeting last Thu May 19 reinforce that assessment🧵

1/11
The focus has changed in recent months—the Ukraine war has increased concerns about food security.

But the best binding decision that can be expected is to exempt the World Food Programme’s humanitarian purchases from export restrictions—still opposed by India & Tanzania.

2/11
Expect some non-binding/“best-endeavour” statement on food security, eg, the UK-led proposal⬇️, which draws on familiar themes of keeping supplies flowing, increasing transparency, minimising market disruption.

Even transparency is a problem…

3/11 docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/S…
Read 11 tweets
Peter Ungphakorn (also on Bluesky and Mastodon) Profile picture
May 20, 2022
Another day, another WTO topic where members find themselves under pressure to reach agreement within days.

Today: fisheries subsidies, at the end of a “Fish Week” of talks in various formats on curbing harmful subsidies that encourage overfishing.

1/8 tradebetablog.wordpress.com/wto-fish-talks…
Chair @WillsSantiago briefed the media after a stock-taking meeting of the membership.

Sandwiched between plenaries Mon and Fri, were sessions in various formats. Wills said 30-40 delegations were involved in each of those sessions, total about 50.

2/8 tradebetablog.wordpress.com/wto-fish-talks…
@WillsSantiago said the talks were constructive with good signals that need to be turned into agreement.

He announced a “Fish Decision” week from May 30, giving members a fortnight to resolve their differences.

3/8 tradebetablog.wordpress.com/wto-fish-talks…
Read 8 tweets
Peter Ungphakorn (also on Bluesky and Mastodon) Profile picture
May 19, 2022
WTO members on all sides were urged today to sort out their reservations over the proposed compromise, so that a deal on waiving some intellectual property protection for COVID-19 can be struck by the Jun 12-15 Ministerial Conference, trade sources say.

1/14 #TRIPSwaiver
In an informal meeting of the WTO intellectual property (TRIPS) council, Director-General @NOIweala said WTO members have no option but to produce a result for the #MC12 Ministerial Conference, even if that means negotiating round the clock, the sources said.

2/14
Today's meeting was held to take stock of the first two days of real negotiations on the compromise text⬇️, on Mon&Wed, May 16&18. During those sessions, @NOIweala urged delegates to be prepared to compromise: "the perfect is the enemy of the good"

3/14 tradebetablog.wordpress.com/text-g4-trips-…
Read 15 tweets

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