The WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies: Workshop for Commonwealth small states

About the Event

After over 20 years of negotiations, members of the WTO adopted the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies in June 2022. For the first time, the agreement established binding rules to ensure the support provided by governments to their fishing sector does not undermine the sustainability of marine resources. By promoting subsidy policies and practices that are more in line with sustainability, the agreement is expected to help protect marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of communities that rely on fishing for nutrition, employment, and income.

The negotiation of additional rules on fishing subsidies is ongoing, but the agreement's entry into force is approaching. It will take effect once 111 WTO members have ratified it. As of today, 94 members have completed ratification, leaving only 17 more for the agreement to come into force. WTO members, especially those that have already ratified, should start preparing for its implementation.

This hybrid workshop was designed to capacitate the Commonwealth’s small state members and support informed reflections and decisions by their authorities in relation to the ratification and implementation of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. Through information sharing and open dialogue, the event sought to

• deepen Geneva and capital-based senior trade and fisheries officials' knowledge and understanding of the agreement's main provisions,
• strengthen authorities' awareness of mechanisms and tools available to support developing country members in preparing for implementation and aligning with the new rules upon entry into force, and
• provide a platform for the Commonwealth small states to share and hear about each others’ experiences and insights related to formal acceptance and implementation of the agreement based on their interests and needs.