MEPs adopted on Thursday 25 November, by 383 votes to 31 with 280 abstentions, a resolution detailing their expectations for the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) of the World Trade Organization, to be held in Geneva from 30 November to 3 December.
The day before, they had adopted by a narrow majority an amendment calling for the temporary lifting of patents on Covid-19 vaccines (see EUROPE 12839/14).
The resolution stresses the need to set a clear timetable for reforming the WTO (see EUROPE 12829/21). It also calls for concrete results on fisheries subsidies, agriculture, trade, and health.
On these issues, delegations have still not agreed on texts to be submitted to Ministers.
“It is clear the WTO needs substantive reform in all of its three main functions. The multilateral trading system needs to be equipped with more tools and rules to respond to current and future challenges”, said co-rapporteur Bernd Lange (S&D, Germany).
In an op-ed published in the Financial Times, European Commissioner for Trade Valdis Dombrovskis, who will be attending the MC12, again warned of a lack of commitment from members at the meeting. “They must first stop speaking past each other and focus on workable compromises”, he insisted. (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)