“Recognizing how far we have come, and the fact that there may be no more opportune moment in time, I feel compelled to explore whether a path can be found to bring our negotiations to a successful close,” the chair said in his communication to WTO members after hearing views at the 19 November meeting of the Negotiating Group on Rules and further consultations.
The chair circulated a revised draft text and an explanatory note detailing all the changes to the July draft text, including to the provision on subsidies for fishing in areas beyond the subsidizing member’s jurisdiction, extension periods for graduating least-developed countries (LDCs), and guiding points for characterizing small scale and artisanal fishing.
The chair also circulated a tentative schedule of work over the next two weeks from 2-13 December, with weekend meetings as necessary.
“As I have previously indicated, I continue to believe that if we can narrow down the remaining substantial differences, we have a realistic chance of reaching a final agreement,” the chair said, noting that while the overwhelming majority of members stand ready to conclude negotiations in December on the basis of the July text, at least two members maintain that they need to see substantial changes.
He has asked his delegation, Iceland, to request the inscription of the matter for decision at the 16-17 December meeting of the General Council.
The draft text can be accessed here. The chair’s explanatory note is available here.
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