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The EU is actively engaged in advancing multilateral post-Nairobi negotiations with a view to preparing outcomes for the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC11). In this regard, the EU is contributing and often leading discussions on numerous topics including fisheries subsidies, (...)

First, the EU sees the WTO as playing a central role in developing and enforcing the rules of global trade - from intellectual property to customs, from digital trade to good regulatory practices – that will also reinforce the principle of sustainable development.

The EU is dedicated to making progress on disciplining fisheries subsidies in the WTO. The EU believes that fisheries subsidies, like other types of subsidies, can only effectively be addressed through a multilateral agreement covering all WTO Members. The fact that the sustainability of global fisheries is at stake further reinforces the need for multilateral action.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development agreed by the global community and notably the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14.6 sets out the objective to prohibit by 2020 certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, to eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and to refrain from introducing new such subsidies. SDG 14.6 further recognizes that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the WTO fisheries subsidies negotiation.

Thus, there is a clear call for a multilateral process on fisheries subsidies to deliver on SDG 14.6. For this reason in October 2016 the EU tabled a concrete textual proposal to ban certain capacity-enhancing subsidies and subsidies linked to IUU fishing. The proposal also provides for enhanced transparency and notification requirements and foresees special and differential treatment that would allow developing and least developed countries to derogate from such a ban under certain conditions linked to a sustainable management of the relevant fisheries.

The EU has played a leading role in the negotiations for an Environmental Goods Agreement (EGA). The aim of an EGA is to (i) eliminate tariffs on a broad range of environmental goods used, among other things, for renewable energy generation, waste management, water treatment and air pollution control, and (ii) address non-tariff issues in the sector and services linked to environmental goods though a future work programme.

The EU will continue working with all WTO members involved to bridge the gaps in the negotiations and reach an agreement as soon as possible, considering the importance of an EGA to contribute to address climate change and environmental changes.

In recent years, the EU has developed an ambitious bilateral agenda, which complements and reinforces its efforts within the multilateral trading system. Throughout the process, the EU is paying particular attention to the scope and depth of its trade agreements, to ensure they take into account the needs of today's economy, as well as of the economic realities of its partners and paying attention to full compliance with WTO rules, while supporting and promoting EU values and standards: the promotion of human rights, health and consumer protection and sustainable development, including labour rights and environmental protection.

The EU will continue playing an active role in implementing Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and the SDGs within the EU and in development cooperation with partner countries. In particular, the EU will continue its efforts to implement the Trade and Sustainable Development chapters of its trade agreements more effectively, including through civil society mechanisms.

The EU and its Member States have begun a review of their 2007 joint Aid for Trade strategy, with a view to increasing the mutual supportiveness between development co-operation and trade agenda. The review is expected to be completed in the second half of 2017. The revised strategy would remain linked to the Aid-for-Trade Initiative and respond to the new 2030 Agenda, with the aim of further fostering EU values of social protection and environmental sustainability together with inclusive economic growth. The revised strategy might also seek to introduce differentiation in addressing in a more strategic manner the specific trade-related needs of various partner countries, notably the LDCs.