WTO’s activities in June: 12th Ministerial Conference and accessions
The WTO 12th Ministerial Conference, twice postponed due to the COVID pandemic, has been programmed for June 12-15, 2022. Members’ agenda will include, among others, the following topics:
- Response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In May, the US, the EU, India and South Africa circulated a text aimed at streamlining and simplifying how governments can override patent rights, under certain conditions, to enable diversification of production of COVID-19 vaccines. This text is being discussed by the Membership. Given the positive reactions, Members may be able to agree on a text for adoption by Ministers.
- Negotiations on new rules limiting the negative impact of fisheries subsidies. Negotiations continue in order to reduce the existing differences and present a text that could be finalised by Ministers.
- Agriculture. The draft negotiation text addresses domestic support to the farm sector, access to agricultural markets, and export competition — covering measures seen as having comparable effects to export subsidies. Other topics include food export restrictions and prohibitions, cotton, food bought at administered prices under public food stockholding programmes, and a proposed new “special safeguard mechanism” that would allow developing countries temporarily to raise tariffs in the event of sudden import surges or price falls. Finally, Members are negotiating the cross-cutting issue of transparency. It is unclear if any tangible result can be achieved given that the positions of Members are distant. On top of the traditional issues, the war in Ukraine has severely disrupted international markets and increased the prices of many commodities. While there will be discussions to address the effects of the war, it is unclear if any solution will be reached.
- New agreement/rules to facilitate investment for development. Ministers are likely to review the progress of the negotiations conducted by 112 WTO Members and re-confirm the desire to conclude negotiations in 2022. To build momentum, high-level round tables are implemented in May 2022 to discuss the benefits of the new rules.
- New agreement/rules to regulate crucial aspects of digital trade. Ministers are likely to take stock of the state of negotiations. While it is reported that the negotiation of several provisions has been completed, there does not seem to be a desire to adopt them as part of an “early harvest” exercise.
- Adoption of the Declaration on Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs). This document includes a set of six recommendations and declarations and instructs the Informal Working Group to continue its work in different directions.
In addition to the above, Ministers are also expected to discuss WTO reform. However, no concrete result is, at present, expected from the Ministerial Conference.
The week after the Ministerial Conference, Uzbekistan will hold its fifth Working Party meeting. In addition, the accessions of Comoros and of Timor Leste are likely to be the subject of discussion during the Ministerial Conference.