Multilateral negotiations in view of the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi, 26-29 February 2024
TA-9-2024-0078 · P9_TA(2024)0078 · PE753.647
Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.
Parliament's resolution sets out its position ahead of the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi on 26-29 February 2024. It calls for a successful MC13, substantive WTO reform, a restored dispute-settlement system, and progress on fisheries subsidies, agriculture, food security, digital trade, sustainability and gender equality.¶¶¶ It urges WTO members to ratify the Fisheries Subsidies Agreement and agree disciplines on overcapacity and overfishing, and to conclude the second phase of the fisheries subsidies negotiations.¶¶ It asks for a fully functioning dispute-settlement system, invites members to join the interim appeal arrangement, and calls for a decision on the TRIPS flexibilities for COVID-19 diagnostics and therapeutics by MC13.¶¶¶ It calls for an outcome on food security, progress in agriculture negotiations, and a time-limited work programme on State support for industrial sectors.¶¶¶ It supports plurilateral agreements, including on investment facilitation and e-commerce, and wants MC13 to back an action-based agenda on trade, climate and the SDGs.¶¶¶ It calls on the Commission and Council to keep Parliament involved in MC13 and on WTO members to strengthen the parliamentary dimension of the WTO.¶¶
Key points
- Reiterates commitment to multilateralism and calls for a trade agenda based on fair and rules-based trade that promotes the SDGs, health, social, environmental and human rights.¶
- Urges all WTO members to commit to a successful MC13 and to conclude the second phase of the fisheries subsidies agreement and a comprehensive package of institutional reforms.¶
- Calls for substantive WTO reform covering monitoring, negotiating, deliberative and dispute-settlement functions, with attention to the parliamentary dimension.¶
- Calls for a fully functioning dispute-settlement system, regrets lack of progress, and invites members to join the multi-party interim appeal arbitration arrangement.¶¶
- Urges members to ratify the Fisheries Subsidies Agreement and to agree disciplines on subsidies contributing to overcapacity and overfishing, respecting special and differential treatment.¶
- Stresses mainstreaming the development dimension, revising special and differential treatment, and welcomes support measures for least-developed countries graduating from LDC status.¶
- Calls for reinvigorated discussions on State support for industrial sectors, an update of the ASCM, and an MC13 work programme on State intervention for MC14 recommendations.¶
- Calls for progress in agriculture negotiations on public stockholding, domestic support, market access, cotton and export restrictions, and for better data sharing on commodity trading.¶
- Underlines the need for an outcome on food security, including actions to increase resilience of LDCs and Net Food-Importing Developing Countries.¶
- Expects WTO reform to ease integration of open plurilateral agreements and supports incorporating the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement into the WTO rulebook.¶¶
- Highlights rules on digital trade, supports e-commerce negotiations and a permanent solution for the moratorium on electronic transmissions, and calls for conclusion by MC13.¶
- Believes MC13 should back an action-based agenda for trade supporting the SDGs and Paris Agreement, welcomes plurilateral work on fossil fuel subsidies, plastic pollution and TESSD, and calls for relaunching EGA negotiations.¶
Who is affected
- WTO members, who are urged to ratify the Fisheries Subsidies Agreement, reform the WTO and reach agreements at MC13.¶¶
- Developing countries and least-developed countries, for whom special and differential treatment and graduation support are addressed.¶¶
- The Commission and Council, which are asked to keep Parliament involved and consulted during MC13.¶
- Farmers and agricultural sectors, for whom fair competition and a level playing field are sought.¶
- Small and medium-sized enterprises and women, who are highlighted as affected by digital trade rules and the e-commerce moratorium.¶¶
Figures and deadlines
- USD 22 billion per year in harmful fisheries subsidies¶
- 258 million people in crisis or worse levels of acute food insecurity in 2022, up from 193 million in 2021¶
- 75 % of trade still takes place on the basis of most-favoured nation tariffs¶
- Digital trade accounts for 25 % of total trade¶
- Ratification by two thirds of the membership required for the Fisheries Subsidies Agreement to enter into force¶
- MC13 to take place in Abu Dhabi from 26 to 29 February 2024¶