Consensus reached on WTO fishery subsidies

All provinces have agreed to implement phase one of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies (AFS) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), which entails disciplines related to illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing and overfished stocks.

Sources told The Express Tribune that the commerce ministry in a recent meeting of the cabinet informed the participants that all relevant stakeholders, including the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Government of Sindh, and Government of Balochistan, had endorsed the ratification of phase-I of the AFS and expressed readiness to implement it.

The cabinet was informed that the WTO, established in 1995, provides a regulatory framework for global multilateral trade, and Pakistan was a founding member of the WTO.

It was further elaborated that the ministerial conference is the highest decision-making forum of the WTO, meeting biennially to discuss and make decisions on matters pertaining to the Multilateral Trading Regime.

The Commerce Division explained that during the 11th Ministerial Conference (MC-11), held in Buenos Aires in 2017, ministers resolved to conclude fisheries' negotiations with the aim of adopting an agreement aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (UNSDG) 14.6 to ensure sustainable fishing by MC-12.

At MC-12, held in June 2022 in Geneva, Switzerland, members agreed to adopt phase-I of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. It was added that the AFS phase-I scope entails disciplines related to illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing and overfished stocks. Negotiations to regulate overcapacity and overfishing continue at the WTO.

As part of its National Development Agenda to fulfil obligations for UN SDGs, the Commerce Division stated that Pakistan actively participated in negotiations with the aim of achieving the envisioned goal under UN SDG 14.6, in line with the national stance approved by the prime minister.

The AFS phase-I will come into force upon ratification by two-thirds (110) of WTO members. The meeting was informed that 83 WTO members had already ratified the agreement.

Following the adoption, the Commerce Division established a National Working Group on Fisheries, facilitating regular consultations with stakeholders, including fisheries' departments of provincial governments, regarding phase-I ratification.

All relevant stakeholders, including the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, the Government of Sindh and the Government of Balochistan, had endorsed the ratification of phase-I of the AFS and expressed readiness to implement it. It was further informed that the Ministry of Law and Justice clarified that the lead role for ratification of this instrument rests with the Commerce Division, while the Ministry of Maritime Affairs would be responsible for implementing the agreement.

Given the foregoing, and to align with international commitments and implement the National Development Agenda for ocean sustainability, the division proposed that Pakistan ratify phase-I of the AFS as per the attached instrument of ratification.

Approval of the cabinet was sought for the proposal in terms of Rule 16(1)(h) of the Rules of Business, 1973.

The cabinet considered a summary titled "Ratification of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies of the World Trade Organisation", submitted by the Commerce Division, and approved the proposal.