By TIOL News Service

BUENOS AIRES, DEC 14, 2017: THE WTO members wrapped up their 11th Ministerial Conference (MC11) in Buenos Aires yesterday with a commitment from members to secure a deal on fisheries subsidies which delivers on Sustainable Development Goal by the end of 2019. They also committed to improve the reporting of existing fisheries subsidy programmes. In addition, members took a number of other ministerial decisions, including extending the practice of not imposing Customs duties on electronic transmissions for another two years, and they committed to continue negotiations in all areas.

Members also agreed on the following:

 

+ Work Programme on Electronic Commerce - Ministerial Decision

+ TRIPS non-violation and situation complaints - Ministerial Decision

+ Work Programme on Small Economies - Ministerial Decision

+ The creation of the working party on accession for South Sudan.

However, no agreement was possible in a number of the substantive issues that were under discussion at the conference. One key area where no agreement was possible was public stockholding for food security purposes. Many members regretted that this was not possible despite the mandate to conclude negotiations at MC11. Other issues under the agricultural negotiations pillar also were not concluded.

Ministers expressed their disappointment over the lack of progress, and gave their commitment to continuing to move forward on the negotiations related to all remaining relevant issues, including to advance work on the three pillars of agriculture (domestic support, market access and export competition) as well as non-agricultural market access, services, development, TRIPS, rules, and trade and environment.

The MC11 Chair, Minister Susana Malcorra, issued a Chair's statement which she presented to the Closing Ceremony of the Conference.