There was so much members disagreed about, most of it with little sign of compromise. They couldn’t even agree on what to call the statement to be issued at the end of the Ministerial Conference #MC12
In principle, those commitments would comply with WTO non-discrimination rules (“most-favoured nation”), meaning they would apply to service suppliers from all WTO members, including free-riding non-participants.
Members’ individual commitments are drafted according to a “reference paper” released yesterday.
That reference paper will probably not be legally binding (wait for tomorrow’s announcement), but the “schedules” of commitments will be, when certified
Confirmed, it's an urgent informal meeting of the WTO General Council at 9.30 (in about 14 minutes) to discuss the deteriorating health situation, travel restrctions and possible alternative arrangements for the Ministerial Conference
1. The two strands of WTO work on trade and the pandemic are not mutually exclusive. The letter says ditch one in favour of the other. That’s not what most developing countries want