WTO: the Trade Negotiations Committee "zeroing" on fisheries subsidies negotiations

At the March 8 « informal meeting » of the Trade Negotiations Committee Pascal Lamy, who is chairing this Committee, provided the Committee with “a brief overview of the latest developments across the board in the negotiations”.

When discussing the developments in the “Rules” chapter, under which new rules on fisheries subsidies are negotiated, Mr Lamy’s statement was the following:

“In the Rules area, area, Members are continuing their consideration of the bracketed and un bracketed issues in the 2008 Chair text and of new proposals tabled, including those on fishery subsidies by Argentina and the ACP Group. These processes have been supplemented by the work of Friends of the Chair, and more recently, by the work of small numbers of delegations in Contact Groups. The aim of all of these processes is to try to generate technically viable options which could then be considered by the Negotiating Group as a whole. Meetings in these different configurations will continue throughout the month of March.

On regional trade agreements (RTAs), the Group has started the review of the Transparency Mechanism for RTAs as required by paragraph 23 of the General Council Decision, with a view to making it permanent. Indications are that Members are generally satisfied with the functioning of the Mechanism and would agree to making it permanent based on a few adjustments to the current text. Discussions on systemic issues which remain dependent on the submission of text-based proposals by Members have also taken place based on a proposal from Bolivia; the group has also discussed the possibility of a forward looking work programme. The Chair is planning further consultations on 14 15 March followed by an open-ended meeting on 17 March.”

 

So, Members are considering, among other things, proposals on fisheries subsidies. They also seem working on Regional Trade Agreements.

But, are they working on anti-dumping (including “zeroing”) or on horizontal subsidy disciplines?

Here is the link to the WTO page with the statement by Mr Lamy.

http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news11_e/tnc_dg_infstat_08mar11_e.htm

WTO: reporting on informal negotiating meeting on fisheries subsidies (5)

Trawling is a typical way of catching fish. It is also something you can do, with modern technology, to catch news on items that are of interest for individuals. And the interesting thing about trawling for news is that your “gear” can be very selective, taking very little “by-catch”.

Lastly I have been trawling for reports on informal meetings of the WTO negotiating group dealing with fisheries subsidies. The result was rather disappointing: only “by-catch”.

Apparently the above mentioned negotiating group, also called the “Rules” group, met at the beginning of March 2010. According to the “Business Standard”, an Indian newspaper, the group discussed the (thorny) issue of the “zeroing” methodology (used by the US) in anti-dumping.

As it is the case with other negotiating subjects groups of countries are formed to push (or counter) standpoints and proposals. In this case, i.e. negotiations on WTO rules on antidumping, a coalition has been formed that calling itself the “Friends of Anti-dumping” (or FANs). The members of the FANs are: Japan, Korea, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Hong Kong, Israel, Norway, Singapore, Switzerland, Taipei, Thailand and Turkey.

These countries are seeking to tighten the rules of anti-dumping by, among other things, prohibiting the use of zeroing.

It is interesting to see how alliances can differ depending on the issue. In the anti-dumping negotiations one finds countries that are siding “against” the US (e.g. Chile, Thailand, Mexico, Colombia and Norway) while in they are supporting the US positions in the fisheries subsidies negotiations, especially in calling a broad ban on most subsidies to fisheries. 

I will close this post by referring to another article, this time from the “Third World Network”, in which it is mentioned that he “Rules” group also met during the first week of February 2010, though no word about fisheries subsidies’ negotiations.

Here are the links to the above mentioned articles:

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/india-seeks-banzeroing-methodology/387604/

http://www.twnside.org.sg/title2/wto.info/2009/twninfo20090206.htm

USA: Louisiana's governor ask for federal assistance for shrimpers

The US shrimp industry continues to complaint about low prices for shrimps.

The situation seems so serious that

Governor Bobby Jindal has written to the U.S. the Commerce Secretary and to the Chair of the U.S. the International Trade Commissionthe to open an investigation into the "trade practices" of foreign countries that may be unfairly manipulating the shrimp industry's marketplace.

The Governor's letter was triggered by strikes and protests by shrimpers, complaining about the rock bottom prices they get for their harvest.

Interesting to note is that the U.S. did impose anti-dumping duties on imports of shrimps from a number of developing countries (see my post of 26/04/09 USA: will US fishermen survive without subsidies?). As mentioned in this post , the U.S. shrimpers have received subsidies coming from the funds collected by the U.S. Customs when applying the anti-dumping duties.

Furthermore the Governor has been quoted as saying:

“I’ll be issuing an executive order to make sure our state agencies are buying Louisiana shrimp to the extent that they are not doing so today, to make sure they are not buying frozen or imported product,”

Finally, I would like to bring to mind another post on Louisana where I mentioned that subsidies related to "fisheries disaster" were to be provided to the State's fishermen (12/06/09 USA: Lousiana providing subsidies because of a "fisheries disaster")

Here is the link to the official text of the letter to the federal authorities:

http://wwwprd.doa.louisiana.gov/LaNews/PublicPages/Dsp_PressRelease_Display.cfm?PressReleaseID=2176&Rec_ID=1

And here a news article where you will find the above statement by Mr Jindal:

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/55999647.html

WTO: Director General Pascal Lamy on Fisheries Subsidies (3)

Fisheries subsidies is becoming of the preferred marketing tools to promote the Doha Round. Director General Lamy is of those that mentions this negotiating subject as one of the main reasons why the Doha Round deserves to be concluded.

I copy here an extract of his speech, delivered to the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington D.C. on 24 April 2009.

"Let me be very frank with you: I have been puzzled by such comments. But many WTO members have been angered.

Take the African cotton producers who are awaiting the conclusion of the Doha Round to see cuts in trade distorting cotton subsidies. Or those who are awaiting the elimination of current export subsidies on dairy.

Take also the negotiations on climate-friendly goods and services which is part of the Doha Round. Here is a chapter with a huge economic but also job creating potential. The Obama administration has committed itself to reducing US greenhouse gas emissions and to making the United States a leader on climate change. A successful Doha Round could deliver a package of open markets for environmental goods and services. A more open trade in this sector will increase the availability, and lower the cost, of climate-friendly goods, services and technologies. This outcome would complement a much-needed climate change agreement at Copenhagen later this year.

Take also fishery subsidies where the Doha Round could create the first international agreement aimed at reducing wasteful government support for activities that deplete the world’s oceans of one of its vital resources.

Not to mention regional trade agreements or rules of origin, already there since the Tokyo Round, which are part of the Doha menu and which are often quoted by economic operators as necessitating clearer WTO rules."

What I miss in this speech is a reference to the fact that a number of WTO Members, albeit for different reasons, consider that new rules on anti-dumping (a subject under the "Rules" chapter) are also a key negotiating issue in the ongoing round.

Here are the links with Mr Lamy's speech:

http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/sppl_e/sppl122_e.htm

http://www.iie.com/events/event_detail.cfm?EventID=113