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14 Jul 2023 Latest news

Dear maria CHADZIDAKIS VAVOURANAKIS, Below are the news items published today on the WTO public website which match with your news preferences.

NEWS ITEM Fisheries subsidies negotiations ramp up ahead of text-based discussions in the autumn WTO members demonstrated an increased sense of urgency in their discussions at the fourth of a series of “Fish Weeks” held on 10-14 July regarding the second wave of fisheries subsidies negotiations, the chair, Ambassador Einar Gunnarsson of Iceland, reported at the end of the week. Members’ submissions and discussions are helping pave the way for text-based negotiations in the autumn ahead of the 13th Ministerial Conference to be held in February 2024, the chair said. News item   ⟶

NEWS ITEM Second update of information note on integrated health, trade, IP response to COVID-19 launched On 14 July, the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the WTO launched the second update of the extract “Integrated health, trade and IP approach to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic”. This extract, from the second edition of the trilateral study “Promoting Access to Medical Technologies and Innovation”, maps the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in relation to the integrated health, trade and intellectual property policy framework set out in the study. News item   ⟶

NEWS ITEM Members review how to boost developing economies’ participation in global trade WTO members discussed how to better integrate developing economies and least-developed countries (LDCs) into the global trading system at a meeting of the Committee on Trade and Development on 11 July. News item   ⟶

NEWS ITEM EIF Annual Report underlines resilience of least-developed countries amid global polycrisis The 2022 Annual Report of the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) highlights how the EIF partnership has helped least-developed countries (LDCs) better integrate into the global trading system at a time of multiple global crises. With EIF support, trade priorities have been incorporated in five national development plans in Africa and Asia, the Report notes, while e-commerce initiatives and environmental sustainability projects have enhanced LDCs’ capacity to trade. News item   ⟶

NEWS ITEM Gabon formally accepts Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies Gabon deposited its instrument of acceptance for the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies on 12 July, making it the third African country to do so. Ambassador Mireille Sarah Nzenze presented Gabon’s instrument of acceptance to Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. More than one-third of the acceptances needed for the agreement to enter into force is now in hand. News item   ⟶

NEWS ITEM Trade Policy Review: Honduras The fourth review of the trade policies and practices of Honduras takes place on 12 and 14 July 2023. The basis for the review is a report by the WTO Secretariat and a report by the Government of Honduras. TPR documents   ⟶

NEWS ITEM DG Okonjo-Iweala congratulates participants in Latin America regional trade policy course A total of twenty-five government officials from 15 WTO members completed on 7 July an eight-week regional trade policy course for Latin American countries in Mexico City. Delivering the virtual closing remarks, Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala expressed hope that the skills that participants obtained will help ensure more effective participation by the region’s governments in the work of the WTO. News item   ⟶

NEWS ITEM Fisheries subsidies chair opens fourth “Fish Week” to help distil elements for negotiation The chair of the fisheries subsidies negotiations, Ambassador Einar Gunnarsson of Iceland, on 10 July opened the fourth of a series of “Fish Weeks” with the aim of seeking WTO members’ views on what elements from the various documents before members, including new proposals, would form the best basis for text-based discussions in the fall. Deputy Director-General Angela Ellard acknowledged the progress made but also affirmed the need to deepen discussions at this last Fish Week before the WTO’s August break. News item   ⟶   NEWS ITEM Nomination deadline for Youth Trade Summit on Gender extended to 12 September The deadline for submitting nominations for the Youth Trade Summit on Gender, to be held at the WTO’s headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, has been extended to 12 September. Research and governmental institutions are invited to nominate candidates aged 20-35 to participate in the Summit to be held on 13-14 November. Organized jointly by the WTO and the WTO Gender Research Hub, the event is intended to promote opportunities for young professionals and researchers to engage in discussions on trade and gender issues. News item   ⟶

 

NEWS ITEM Co-convenors of e-commerce negotiations review progress, reflect on way forward At a heads of delegation meeting on 6 July, participants in the e-commerce talks reaffirmed their commitment to a substantial conclusion of the negotiations by the end of 2023, with development issues at the heart of the future outcome. Flexibility, pragmatism and urgency are what is needed to achieve this goal, they stressed. Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told participants: “What you are currently accomplishing truly matters for the global economy, for development prospects, and for creating new job opportunities, especially for young people.” News item   ⟶