On Thursday 8 February, MEPs adopted a resolution setting out their expectations for the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) of the World Trade Organization (WTO), taking place from 26 to 29 February in Abu Dhabi. Their demands are broadly in line with those of the Commission, which will represent the European Union at the event, as pointed out by the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, who debated the issue with MEPs on Thursday 8 February.
The European Parliament considers reform of the WTO and its dispute settlement body to be a priority. However, the Commission and Parliament are aware that MC13 will not result in a complete reform project given the difficulty of the discussions (see EUROPE 13334/17).
MEPs believe that WTO members should at a minimum agree “the principle that there should be a reformed Appellate Body and a timeframe to have this issue resolved”.
In their resolution, the MEPs also refer to the second phase of the agreement on fisheries subsidies which is due to be concluded. However, Ylva Johansson warned that “differences between members on this issue have increased”.
She was more optimistic about the moratorium on digital trade and its extension: “We are in a better position than we were some time ago, because more than 100 members, including ACP countries, support the extension”.
Two other issues that are among the priorities of the European Parliament and the Commission attracted particular attention from MEPs during the debate: the treatment of developing countries and the matter of industrial subsidies.
Regarding developing countries, the WTO’s principle of special and differential treatment must be adapted to better meet the needs of these countries, write the MEPs in their resolution.
As for industrial subsidies, the MEPs say they need to be more tightly controlled, given the current global economic context and the unfair competition that prevails.
See the resolution adopted: https://aeur.eu/f/ara (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)