{"id":5847,"date":"2025-10-04T05:20:54","date_gmt":"2025-10-04T05:20:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dovegelpacks.com\/?p=5847"},"modified":"2025-10-04T05:22:46","modified_gmt":"2025-10-04T05:22:46","slug":"india-to-ratify-wto-fisheries-subsidy-agreement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dovegelpacks.com\/?p=5847","title":{"rendered":"India to ratify WTO fisheries subsidy agreement"},"content":{"rendered":"
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India is set to ratify the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, calling for stricter rules on historical subsidisers and protections for developing nations through special and differential treatment. The agreement, the WTO\u2019s first environmental pact, bans subsidies for illegal fishing, overfished stocks, and unregulated high seas. India proposes per capita subsidy limits and a 25-year exemption for small fishers. <\/strong><\/em><\/h5>

India has informed the World Trade Organization (WTO) that it is in the process of ratifying the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, while also urging for a more balanced framework that places stricter rules on countries with a history of granting large-scale subsidies.<\/p>

At last week\u2019s Special General Council meeting, New Delhi underlined the need for \u201cprecise and effective\u201d special and differential treatment (S&DT), which grants developing and least developed countries (LDCs) longer transition periods, greater flexibility, and enhanced trading opportunities. With the agreement now in force after being ratified by 111 WTO members, India stressed that its implementation must safeguard sustainability and ensure fairness.<\/p>

The agreement introduces binding rules to curb harmful fisheries subsidies, particularly those supporting illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing,<\/em> overfished stocks, and unregulated high seas activities. India highlighted that developing nations which have not historically contributed to over-exploitation should retain sufficient policy space as they work toward sustainable practices. The WTO is now negotiating a second wave of reforms, known as \u201cFish 2,\u201d to tackle subsidies that contribute to overfishing and overcapacity.<\/p>

India advocates fair and sustainable fisheries practices<\/strong><\/p>

India has called for subsidy disciplines to be calculated on a per capita basis rather than aggregate totals. This approach, grounded in the S&DT principle, would help protect the livelihoods of millions of small and artisanal fishers. The proposal has gained backing from nearly 50 developing and least developed countries, including Tunisia, Senegal, Bangladesh, and Morocco.<\/p>

India has also sought a 25-year exemption from subsidy reduction commitments to safeguard its poor fishing communities, while developed nations are pressing for a much shorter transition period of five to seven years.<\/p>

Citing the sharp disparity in support levels\u2014where subsidies in developed countries amount to roughly US$76,000 per fisher annually compared to India\u2019s US$35\u2014the government argued that new disciplines should consider the intensity of subsidies rather than their absolute value.<\/p>

Further, New Delhi emphasized that rules for distant water fishing must reflect the principle of \u201ccommon but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities,\u201d ensuring that historical subsidisers shoulder greater responsibility for sustainability while developing nations retain the flexibility needed for inclusive growth.<\/p>

Milestone ratifications<\/strong><\/p>

The WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies marks the organization\u2019s first multilateral pact with environmental sustainability at its core. It introduces binding rules that prohibit governments from granting subsidies that fuel illegal fishing activities or contribute to the overexploitation of fish stocks, thereby protecting marine biodiversity and advancing global sustainability goals.<\/p>

At a recent meeting,\u00a0WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala\u00a0received the instruments of acceptance\u00a0from\u00a0Brazil, Kenya, Viet Nam, and Tonga, which pushed the total ratifications past the required\u00a0two-thirds\u00a0majority of WTO members. With this milestone, the Agreement officially entered into force on 15 September.<\/p>

Members hailed the development as a landmark for both the multilateral trading system and environmental protection, pledging to begin implementation swiftly. They highlighted that the new disciplines will play a critical role in restoring global fish stocks, safeguarding the livelihoods of fishing communities, and strengthening food security.<\/p>

Adopted by consensus at the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference in June 2022, the Agreement sets out clear prohibitions:<\/p>