WTO AND FISH TRADE, SUBSIDIES AND RELATED … IV INDIA-NORWAY...WTO AND FISH TRADE, SUBSIDIES AND RELATED ISSUES. Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries Engelsk mal: Tekst

Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries

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Norwegian Ministry of Trade,Industry and Fisheries

Geir Evensen

Workshop, Visakhapatnam 25 September 2016

WTO AND FISH TRADE, SUBSIDIES AND

RELATED ISSUES


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• WTO IN GENERAL

• WTO AND FISH

• BASIC PRINCIPLES

• FISHERIES SUBSIDIES

• NORWEGIAN EXPERIENCES


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WORLD TRADE ORGANISATION

• ESTABLISHED 1 JANUARY 1995

• 164 MEMBERS

• PROVIDES A FORUM FOR NEGOTIATING

AGREEMENTS AIMED AT REDUCING OBSTACLES TO

INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND ENSURING A LEVEL

PLAYING FIELD FOR ALL

• PROVIDES A LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL

FRAMEWORK FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION AND

MONITORING OF THESE AGREEMENTS, AS WELL AS

FOR SETTLING DISPUTES

• 16 MULTILATERAL AGREEMENTS



DOHA-ROUND

• STARTED IN 2001

• DOHA DEVELOPMENT AGENDA

• INCLUDES "RULES"

• WHY THE DIFFICULTIES?

• RESTARTING THE NEGOTIATIONS ON

FISHERIES SUBSIDIES



WTO AND FISH

• IN CONTRAST TO AGRICULTURE FISH

AND FISH PRODUCTS ARE INCLUDED IN

THE DEFINITION OF INDUSTRIAL

PRODUCTS

• IT HAS TO APPLY TO THE GENERAL WTO

RULES AND PRINCIPLES

• THE NAMA NEGOTIATIONS WHICH IS

ABOUT REDUCING TARIFFS AND NON –

TARIFF BARRIERS IS OF PARTICULAR

INTERESTS



PRINCIPLES

THE WTO'S FOUNDING AND GUIDING

PRINCIPLES REMAIN THE PURSUIT OF

OPEN BORDERS, THE GUARANTEE OF

MOST–FAVOURED-NATION PRINCIPLE

AND NON-DISCRIMINATORY TREATMENT

BY AND AMONG MEMBERS, AND A

COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY IN

THE CONDUCT OF ITS ACTIVITIES.



FISHERIES SUBSIDIES

• FISHERIES SUBSIDIES IS AN IMPORTANT

PART OF THE DOHA ROUND.

• 60 % OF THE FISHERIES SUBSIDIES

LEADS TO OVERFISHING, OVERCAPASITY

AND IUU FISHING

• FAILURE TO ADDRESS THESE SUBSIDIES

WILL HARM COASTAL POPULATIONS

• AT PRESENT ONLY A PROHIBITION

AGAINST EXPORT SUBSIDIES CAN BE

FOUND IN THE AGREEMENT ON

SUBSIDIES


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FISHERIES SUBSIDIES

• A BIG CONCERN AMONG MANY

MEMBER COUNTRIES

• NEGOTIATIONS ON FISHERIES

SUBSIDIES WILL PROBABLY BE

RESTARTED WITHIN SHORT TIME

• PLURILATERAL INITIATIVE BY USA

• MINISTERS MEET IN OSLO 21-22

OCTOBER


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FISHERIES SUBSIDIES

• UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDG 14.6):

“By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies

which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing,

eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported

and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new

such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and

effective special and differential treatment for developing

and least developed countries should be an integral part

of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies

negotiation”



HOW TO SUCCEED?

• EXPERIENCES FROM THE PREVIOUS

NEGOTIATIONS

• NEEDS TO SIMPLIFY AND FOCUS ON THE

MOST IMPORTANT

• THE SDG 14.6 SHOULD BE GUIDING

• MANY TYPES OF SUBSIDIES

• SHOULD FOCUS ON FISHERIES

SUBSIDIES ALONE



NORWEGIAN EXPERIENCES

• REMOVED THE SUBSIDIES IN THE

NINETIES (ALMOST)

• NOT PAINLESS BUT WITH A GREAT

OUTCOME

• MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY

SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT AND

INCENTIVES TO REDUCE OVERCAPACITY

• NECESSARY TO ADMIT THAT THE

NUMBER OF VESSELS AND FISHERMEN

NEEDS TO DECREASE

EXSPORT VALUE AND SUBSIDIES IN NORWEGIAN FISHERIES

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Subsidier Eksportverdi

Productivity growth

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Quantity (tonnes) Fishermen (1000) Catch (tonnes) per fisherman



NORWEGIAN EXPERIENCES WITH

SANCTIONS

• EVEN THOUGH OUR FISHERIES

SUBSIDIES ARE ALMOST ABOLISHED, THE

RISK FOR MEASURES AGAINST OUR

PRODUCTS IS STILL RELEVANT

• THE AGREEMENT FOR SUBSIDIES AND

COUNTERVAILING MEASURES MEANS

LEGAL SUBSIDIES CAN BE SUBJECT OF

SANCTIONS

• ACTIONABLE SUBSIDIES


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Thank you for your attention!

22. september 2016Tittel på presentasjon15

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WTO AND FISH TRADE, SUBSIDIES AND RELATED … IV INDIA-NORWAY...WTO AND FISH TRADE, SUBSIDIES AND RELATED ISSUES. Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries Engelsk mal: Tekst