Half of WTO Members Haven’t Filed Subsidy Reports

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Missing notifications from World Trade Organization members outlining the subsidies they give to their enterprises continues to be an irritant in discussions in the WTO’s Committee on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures.

In a recent meeting, the chair of the committee, Erik Solberg of Norway, noted that despite reminders to members to submit their notifications in time, 80 members have still not submitted their 2019 notifications. In addition, 67 members still have not submitted their 2017 subsidy notifications, and 57 have still failed to submit their 2015 notifications. Currently there are 159 WTO-member nations.

The chair strongly urged all WTO members to submit their notifications as soon as possible and use the technical assistance available through the WTO Secretariat if help was needed in filing the notifications.

The committee continued to discuss the revised proposal submitted by the United States for ensuring timely responses to questions posed by members while they also reviewed new and full subsidy notifications for 2019 submitted by Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Malaysia, Namibia and Saudi Arabia. It continued its review of 2019 subsidy notifications from Chile, China, the European Union, Mexico, the Philippines, Russia, the United States and Viet Nam. The committee also continued its review of notifications for 2017 submitted by China and Mexico, for 2015 submitted by China, and for 2009 submitted by Gabon.

Canada, the European Union, Japan and the United States expressed their joint concern about the role of subsidies in contributing to excess production capacity in certain sectors.
(SOURCE: All Ag News)