Technical and Informal Workshop on WTO Disciplines on Fisheries Subsidies: Elements of the Chair's Draft Text

Geneva, 29 January 2008

UNEP and WWF, in collaboration with Oceana and ICTSD, hosted an informal workshop on

“WTO DISCIPLINES ON FISHERIES SUBSIDIES: ELEMENTS OF THE CHAIR’S DRAFT”

The meeting took place at the International Environment House II (Room Rhin), Chemin de Balexert 2, Geneva-Châtelaine, Switzerland on 29 January 2008.

The chair of the WTO Negotiating Group on Rules recently circulated a draft text (TN/RL/W/213), which includes potential disciplines on fisheries subsidies. The chair’s objective was to ‘stimulate serious reflection on the broad parameters of possible negotiating outcomes, and work on solving specific problems in the coming months’.

As part of the effort to facilitate discussion on the merits and implications of the Chair’s draft text, this workshop aimed to provide an opportunity for informal technical discussion and to allow for elaboration and exploration of issues in a non-negotiating context. The discussion was conducted according to the “Chatham House Rule”—i.e. the outcomes from the meeting did not include the identity or affiliation of the speakers.

The day consisted of three sessions focused on: (i) the scope of the draft text’s proposed prohibition; (ii) the sustainability criteria that the draft proposes to place as conditions to the use of non-prohibited subsidies; and (iii) issues of special relevance to the “special and differential treatment” of developing countries, including access-related subsidies and “artisanal” fishing.

For further information please contact: Anja von Moltke (anja.moltke@unep.ch, tel: 41-22-917 8137)

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