More "intensive work" still remains if World Trade Organization members want to set a final negotiating text on fisheries subsidies before the 13th Ministerial Conference in February, they said during a negotiating session this month.

Chile formally accepted the agreement on fisheries subsidies on Dec. 12, bringing to 53 the number of World Trade Organization members to have accepted the deal, the WTO announced. This number is "nearly half" of the two-thirds majority needed for ratification. Claudia Sanhueza Riveros, Chile's undersecretary of international economic relations, said the deal "is a very important agreement, especially for countries in the Pacific, where our marine ecosystems are generally being overexploited. It also seeks to address the global challenges we face in terms of the sustainability of our environment and our oceans.”

World Trade Organization members on Nov. 30 signed off on a report laying out 127 steps to boost the functioning of the Council for Trade in Goods along with its 14 subsidiary bodies, the WTO announced. Following up on the mandate to increase the committee's functionality issued at the 12th Ministerial Conference, the members touted the reforms as a deliverable for MC13. The reforms are divvied into six categories: "assistance to delegates, planning and organization of meetings, conduct of formal meetings, conduct of informal meetings, digital tools and substantive work." Members also adopted a draft report related to the WTO response to the COVID-19 pandemic and "preparedness for future pandemics."

The convenors of e-commerce negotiations at the World Trade Organization -- Australia, Japan and Singapore -- are hoping the talks can conclude in early 2024, the WTO said. Unveiling a negotiating road map during a recent meeting, the three countries said the remaining few weeks of 2023 will focus "on bridging the gaps on outstanding issues, such as e-payments, telecommunications and information and communication technology products that use cryptography." Participants in the talks have now "parked" the negotiating text on privacy, the WTO added, raising the number of "parked," or temporarily concluded, topics to 13. Remaining topics include the "scope, exceptions and legal architecture of the future agreement."

The World Trade Organization and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization on Dec. 1 agreed to increase cooperation on various issues related to food and agricultural trade and climate change, the WTO announced. Heads of both organizations -- WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and FAO Director-General Qu Dognyu -- signed a "framework memorandum of understanding" at the 28th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP28) to "facilitate the organizations' close cooperation in these areas."

South Africa recently submitted paperwork at the World Trade Organization saying it wishes to end the moratorium on charging tariffs on electronic transmissions, arguing that it provides global tech firms with a "distinct unfair tax advantage over local competitors in developing countries," and also deprives countries where those purchases are made of corporate tax revenue. South Africa said the international taxation being considered for tech giants is a useful step, but "will not result in developing countries individually benefiting to any material extent and does not resolve the fundamental problem generated primarily by the lack of digital tariffs which can enable more sustainable promotion of investment in developing countries."

World Trade Organization members taking part in the Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform negotiations Nov. 24 discussed a prospective work plan, an updated ministerial statement and a set of tangible options to "advance fossil fuel subsidy reform" at the 13th Ministerial Conference in February, the WTO said.

World Trade Organization members showed support for suggestions on how to boost the work of the Committee on Regional Trade Agreements during the Nov. 20, 21 and 27 committee meetings, the WTO said. While members showed mixed views on "scheduling thematic sessions about RTAs," the countries did acknowledge that the sessions can be held in informal meetings or by placing the topics on the committee's agenda. Members also supported "procedural improvements implemented by the Secretariat," including putting the work program online and providing a draft summary of a factual presentation per request.

The World Trade Organization's Dispute Settlement Body on Nov. 27 agreed to Indonesia's request to set up a dispute panel to review the EU's countervailing duties on biodiesel from Indonesia, the WTO announced. The EU said it believes its duties "are fully justified, adding that it is confident its measures will be declared in line with WTO law," the WTO said. The U.S., the U.K., Norway, Russia, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, China, Canada, Argentina and Turkey reserved their third party rights to take part in the panel proceedings.

Members of the World Trade Organization's Work Program of the MC12 Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Declaration agreed to finalize the factual summary of the report detailing findings of the work program ahead of the 13th Ministerial Conference in February, the WTO announced Nov. 17. During the Nov. 15-17 meeting of the SPS Committee, members "agreed to continue efforts to build consensus on the report to be presented" at MC13.