Some thirty members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are calling on all countries to conclude the second phase of the fisheries agreement. In June 2022, the ministers came to an agreement governing subsidies that contribute to illegal fishing. They did, however, leave one question unanswered: the fate of subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing.
At the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) in Abu Dhabi in March 2024, the members were unable to close this chapter, but some of them are now confident that they will do so soon.
A group of 35 countries is committed to working towards the conclusion of the agreement this month, at the General Council meeting on 22 and 23 July. They feel that tangible progress has been made on the text and that it is increasingly balanced.
The countries committed to a rapid conclusion include China, the United States and the United Kingdom, but not the EU. (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)