What do we know so far about this⬇️ meeting?
Remember the purpose is not a breakthrough, but new political direction towards consensus.
The WTO spokesman gave a briefing at about half-way through the day. Still several hours to go.
There’s some outside info available too
1/11
Remember the purpose is not a breakthrough, but new political direction towards consensus.
The WTO spokesman gave a briefing at about half-way through the day. Still several hours to go.
There’s some outside info available too
1/11
https://twitter.com/WillsSantiago/status/1415552408449654784
First, outside information. Here's @REUTERSFARGE, including links to brief summaries of what some ministers said
2/11 reuters.com/world/china/wt…
2/11 reuters.com/world/china/wt…
Some delegations are publishing videos of their ministers’ statements such as this one
4/11
4/11
https://twitter.com/TaiwanWTO/status/1415661022292156416?s=20
What did we learn from the @wto briefing?
WTO spokesman Keith Rockwell wouldn’t go into details of what ministers said. There will be a press conference this evening.
He said there was were some broadly encouraging statements, and some continued disagreement on the draft
5/11
WTO spokesman Keith Rockwell wouldn’t go into details of what ministers said. There will be a press conference this evening.
He said there was were some broadly encouraging statements, and some continued disagreement on the draft
5/11
What he told us about the process is interesting.
When he briefed at about 13:00 Geneva time, over 50 ministers had spoken out of a total of 108 on the list.
Because the meeting is virtual, the order of speakers was by time zone, starting with West Pacific states …
6/11
When he briefed at about 13:00 Geneva time, over 50 ministers had spoken out of a total of 108 on the list.
Because the meeting is virtual, the order of speakers was by time zone, starting with West Pacific states …
6/11
… and ending up eventually with the Americas.
Rockwell also said this is the first time so many ministers were speaking on the subject. Not even the last proper Ministerial Conference in Buenos Aires saw that.
But then …
7/11
Rockwell also said this is the first time so many ministers were speaking on the subject. Not even the last proper Ministerial Conference in Buenos Aires saw that.
But then …
7/11
But then, the ministers in Buenos Aires did not have a proper text to discuss. Now, there is much more detail on the table ⬇️
PURPOSE: not a breakthrough, but new political direction towards consensus.
EVEN SO: ministers cannot interact much …
8/11 tradebetablog.wordpress.com/2021/06/30/fis…
PURPOSE: not a breakthrough, but new political direction towards consensus.
EVEN SO: ministers cannot interact much …
8/11 tradebetablog.wordpress.com/2021/06/30/fis…
… because the meeting is virtual …
• … ministers speak by time zone. Some may go to bed before others speak. Plus, long on-line meetings are notorious for participants dropping out when they have said their bit
So not much hope they are listening to each other. And …
9/11
• … ministers speak by time zone. Some may go to bed before others speak. Plus, long on-line meetings are notorious for participants dropping out when they have said their bit
So not much hope they are listening to each other. And …
9/11
… ministers are given 3-minute slots each
• This is a formal plenary meeting. It’s unlikely ministers will reveal their negotiating hands fully, if at all
“Countries do not negotiate in meetings of the full membership, even behind closed doors.”
10/11 tradebetablog.wordpress.com/2021/04/26/wto…
• This is a formal plenary meeting. It’s unlikely ministers will reveal their negotiating hands fully, if at all
“Countries do not negotiate in meetings of the full membership, even behind closed doors.”
10/11 tradebetablog.wordpress.com/2021/04/26/wto…
• If the ministers were meeting in person, they would huddle in smaller groups, and even participate in organised small group meetings. There are no such arrangements today.
So the chances that they will really listen to each other's concerns are limited.
11/11
So the chances that they will really listen to each other's concerns are limited.
11/11
WTO press conference on #FisheriesSubsidies ministerial meeting due to start in 5 mins (7 pm Geneva time), available publicly on YouTube⬇️
Looks like it's going to be late
See earlier tweets in the thread above⬆️
Looks like it's going to be late
See earlier tweets in the thread above⬆️
UPDATE after the meeting
WTO DG @NOIweala & #FisheriesSubsidies talks chair @WillsSantiago were encouraged that ministers agreed the talks would be based on the chair's draft⬇️.
In the next phase members can go thru the draft line by line, they said
1/6 tradebetablog.wordpress.com/2021/06/30/fis…
WTO DG @NOIweala & #FisheriesSubsidies talks chair @WillsSantiago were encouraged that ministers agreed the talks would be based on the chair's draft⬇️.
In the next phase members can go thru the draft line by line, they said
1/6 tradebetablog.wordpress.com/2021/06/30/fis…
It's unclear how much of a breakthrough this is. Members have already worked on the chair's text, enough for him to produce a revision.
This meeting has confirmed politically that all members are on board.
Wills said he's now optimistic that agreement can be reached.
2/6
This meeting has confirmed politically that all members are on board.
Wills said he's now optimistic that agreement can be reached.
2/6
But the text itself reflects fundamental differences over
• special treatment for developing countries (eg China)
• whether countries can offset limits on harmful subsidies with funds to support sustainable stocks
• fuel subsidies when not specifically for fishing
3/6
• special treatment for developing countries (eg China)
• whether countries can offset limits on harmful subsidies with funds to support sustainable stocks
• fuel subsidies when not specifically for fishing
3/6
Some developing country ministers slammed the draft on special treatment (see eg India and reuters' report, both ⬆️)
But asked repeatedly about this, @NOIweala insisted ministers were unified—on the need for special treatment, without damaging sustainable fish stocks
4/6
But asked repeatedly about this, @NOIweala insisted ministers were unified—on the need for special treatment, without damaging sustainable fish stocks
4/6
Holding the meeting online has also limited what ministers can achieve (see⬆️).
With the prospect that the Nov 30 to Dec 3 Ministerial Conference might have to be held online, amid similar constraints, the DG and chair are determined to try to conclude the talks before then
5/6
With the prospect that the Nov 30 to Dec 3 Ministerial Conference might have to be held online, amid similar constraints, the DG and chair are determined to try to conclude the talks before then
5/6
The talks began in 2001, in a package called the Doha Round. They are now a stand-alone subject.
"20 years is long enough, and if we continue for another 20 years, there won't be any fish left" @WillsSantiago said.
@NOIweala's statement (5 pages) docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/S…
6/6
"20 years is long enough, and if we continue for another 20 years, there won't be any fish left" @WillsSantiago said.
@NOIweala's statement (5 pages) docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/S…
6/6
PS, remember:
Today's meeting was not meant to be a negotiating session. Nor was it meant to produce a breakthrough.
The purpose was to give political impetus to the talks.
Also the doc⬆️ includes chair Wills' statement
Here's the WTO's news story. wto.org/english/news_e…
Today's meeting was not meant to be a negotiating session. Nor was it meant to produce a breakthrough.
The purpose was to give political impetus to the talks.
Also the doc⬆️ includes chair Wills' statement
Here's the WTO's news story. wto.org/english/news_e…
Link to Uruguay's statement on this page (in Spanish, but if like me you need it, online translation is not bad these days)
gub.uy/ministerio-rel…
gub.uy/ministerio-rel…
Now blogged
Did ministers bring real hope to yesterday’s #WTO #FisheriesSubsidies talks or are WTO leaders clutching at straws?
tradebetablog.wordpress.com/2021/07/16/wto…
Did ministers bring real hope to yesterday’s #WTO #FisheriesSubsidies talks or are WTO leaders clutching at straws?
tradebetablog.wordpress.com/2021/07/16/wto…
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