The WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies: What it means and why it matters
After more than two decades of negotiations, members of the World Trade Organization concluded the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies in June 2022. This new treaty establishes for the first time a binding set of global rules to curb the harmful subsidies provided by governments to the fishing sector. What does this agreement entail, and why does this treaty matter?
Alice Tipping, IISD's Lead, Sustainable Trade, unpacks the agreement's provisions and what they mean, along with outlining briefly the work that lies ahead for World Trade Organization members as they prepare to put the new treaty into practice and negotiate even more comprehensive disciplines for the future. She also describes a new IISD self-assessment tool that public officials can use as they take the necessary steps for implementation and consider what assistance they might require in the process.
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