COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION latest

 

The European Union is committed to an open and rules-based multilateral trading system, with a modernised WTO at its core. The EU supports an ambitio… Press material Sunday 12 June 2022   ● Council of the EU   12/06/2022 15:36 | Press release | Council conclusions at the start of the 12th World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference   The European Union is committed to an open and rules-based multilateral trading system, with a modernised WTO at its core. The EU supports an ambitious and realistic package for the 12th World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference (MC12), and expects all WTO members to make a constructive contribution, according to their needs and capacities. The Council recalls its previous joint statements regarding the war of aggression by the Russian Federation with the support of Belarus against Ukraine. It recalls that it stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine. Russia is directing attacks against the civilian population and is targeting civilian objects, including hospitals, medical facilities, schools and shelters. These war crimes must stop immediately. Those responsible, and their accomplices, will be held to account in accordance with international law. Russia must immediately stop its military aggression in the territory of Ukraine, immediately and unconditionally withdraw all forces and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine, and fully respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence within its internationally recognised borders. The Council recalls the priority it places on WTO reform and the intention of the EU to play a leading role in this regard. It underlines the importance of reforming the WTO in its core functions so that it can continue to deliver effectively on its objectives and tackle the challenges of the 21st Century, including by ensuring a level-playing field. The Council underlines in this regard the importance of anchoring climate and sustainability on the WTO agenda as well as more firmly establishing competitive neutrality within the WTO. The Council highlights, as a priority, the need for a meaningful reform in order to restore a fully functioning WTO dispute settlement system with its core features kept intact, the need to reform the WTO’s monitoring and deliberating function, as well as the WTO’s role as a negotiating forum to develop new and updated rules. The Council supports the launch of a comprehensive review through a structured process under the auspices of the General Council, of the operation of the WTO with the view to making the necessary reforms to improve its functions by the next Ministerial Conference. Regarding the dispute settlement system and the Appellate Body, the EU underlines the importance of conducting discussions with the view to having a fully and well-functioning dispute settlement system accessible to all members by MC13. The exacerbating food security challenges resulting from the impact of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine are critical. The Council will support efforts at MC12 to address the food security crisis. The Council supports balanced outcomes in the area of agriculture, notably improvements to transparency, including in relation to export restrictions, and multilateral decisions to exempt humanitarian purchases by the World Food Programme from export restrictions, and, more generally, to avoid export restrictions on agricultural products. Finally, the Council supports the launch of work programmes, with key elements that would guide the future negotiations, in areas such as trade-distorting domestic support and a permanent solution for public stockholding for food security, among others. The WTO response to the pandemic is one of the most important issues for the forthcoming Ministerial Conference. This response should contribute to a satisfactory solution to increase the availability of COVID-19 vaccines in developing countries. The Council supports an outcome on Trade and Health that enhances the trading system's responsiveness to the challenges raised by the pandemic, covering inter alia the reduction of export restrictions, trade facilitating measures, enhanced transparency, cooperation with international organisations and other relevant elements. This response should also include enhancing and simplifying the use of flexibilities available under the TRIPS agreement. In view of MC12, the Council stresses the need to conclude the fisheries subsidies negotiations with a substantive outcome, in line with the United Nations’ sustainable development goal 14.6, which calls on WTO members to prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, and eliminate subsidies that contribute to Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, and refrain from introducing new such subsidies. The Council underlines the importance of reaching an ambitious and coherent agreement that contributes to the global sustainability of fisheries resources, in line with relevant EU policies ensuring environmentally sustainable fisheries and consistent with the objective of achieving economic and social benefits. The Council recalls the proposals co-sponsored by the EU concerning notifications and trade concerns and calls for progress on these issues at MC12. The Council also looks forward to the renewal of the multilateral e-commerce and TRIPS moratoria. The Council welcomes the conclusion of the negotiations on services domestic regulation on 2 December 2021 and the subsequent finalisation of members’ schedules of commitments. The Council supports the ongoing efforts of WTO members towards plurilateral cooperation through Joint Statement Initiatives, notably on e-commerce, investment facilitation for development and in the area of trade and the environment, which allow members to work together more closely on pressing issues. The Council approves the draft Declarations and Statements on: Ministerial Declaration on Trade and Food Security Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (“Sanitary and Phytosanitary declaration for the Twelfth WTO Ministerial Conference: Responding to modern SPS challenges”) Ottawa Group Ministerial statement on WTO reform The Council supports the Commission in its efforts to make MC12 a success and looks forward to good coordination between member states and the Commission in this regard. The Council will assess the progress made with a view to reaching a balanced outcome in line with the conditions set out above. To this end, the Council looks forward to the Commission’s proposals in relation to the texts of the draft Declarations and Statements discussed within the WTO. First Council conclusions at the start of the 12th World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference

Meetings Saturday 11 June 2022

● Council of the EU   11/06/2022 11:04 | MEETING | Foreign Affairs Council (Trade), 12-15 June 2022   Background brief - Foreign Affairs Council (Trade), 12-15 June 2022

ONGOING
Council of the EU
Foreign Affairs Council (Trade), 12-15 June 2022

Agenda highlights

The Foreign Affairs Council (Trade) will meet on 12 June in Geneva, in the margins of the WTO ministerial conference, to define the EU’s position. The Foreign Affairs Council (Trade) will meet again at the end of the WTO ministerial conference.

Five years after the last ministerial meeting in Buenos Aires, the 12th WTO ministerial conference will take place in Geneva from 12 to 15 June 2022. MC12 will focus in particular on the reform of the WTO, the WTO’s pandemic response, the fisheries subsidies negotiations, agriculture and food security and the extension of the e-commerce moratorium. All of this will be in the context of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.


Meeting information

Meeting n°3879
Geneva
12 June 2022
12:30
Preparatory documents

Provisional agenda
Background brief

Today EU ministers responsible for space adopted two sets of conclusions: on Copernicus by 2035 and on an EU approach to space traffic management. Th… Press material Friday 10 June 2022   ● Council of the EU   10/06/2022 17:41 | Press release | Towards safe and sustainable use of space and a vision for Copernicus: the Council adopts conclusions   Today EU ministers responsible for space adopted two sets of conclusions: on Copernicus by 2035 and on an EU approach to space traffic management. These conclusions provide political guidance for the future of the EU’s Copernicus programme and strengthen the EU’s common position on space traffic management.

Council of the EU
Press release
10 June 2022
17:37
Towards safe and sustainable use of space and a vision for Copernicus: the Council adopts conclusions


Today EU ministers responsible for space adopted two sets of conclusions: on Copernicus by 2035 and on an EU approach to space traffic management. These conclusions provide political guidance for the future of the EU’s Copernicus programme and strengthen the EU’s common position on space traffic management.
Copernicus by 2035

Copernicus is the EU’s Earth observation programme, which offers information services that draw on satellite Earth observation and non-space data. The information is helpful to service providers, public authorities, and other international organisations in improving European citizens’ quality of life. Data gathered from the Copernicus programme has proven to be of help in several areas, including emergency response, global food security, combating climate change, border control and national security.

The Council conclusions on Copernicus by 2035 help prepare the future of the Copernicus space programme. They set out a vision for 2035 and political guidance for the Copernicus programme based on three key pillars: the Green Deal, the digital transition, and security, together contributing to a more resilient Europe. The conclusions take into account user needs, new environmental challenges and the state of the art of research. They also maximise the inclusion of new digital technologies in the programme.Council conclusion on Copernicus by 2035
Space traffic management

Space is becoming more crowded than ever. To tackle the global challenges that come with this increased traffic, rules on activities in space have to change accordingly. Sharing of capacities, information and best practices amongst member states is key to address strategic and competitiveness challenges in space.

In the conclusions on an EU approach to space traffic management, ministers underline the importance of strengthening EU space surveillance and tracking capabilities and of coordinating legislation and standardisation. This will amplify the EU’s voice on the international stage when it comes to space traffic management.

The EU approach to space traffic management will reduce the risk of collisions and ensure that space remains safe and sustainable.Council conclusions on an EU approach to space traffic managementVisit the meeting page