RESTRICTED  
  
TN/C/M/39  
 
4 September 2020  
(20-6022) Page: 1/39 
Trade Negotiations Committee  
20 July 2020    
 
MINUTES OF MEETING  
HELD IN THE CENTRE WILLIAM RAPPARD ON 20 JULY 2020 
Chairman : Mr. Roberto Azevêdo (Director -General)  
Contents  
 
1  STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRMAN  ................................ ................................ ..................  1 
2  REPORTS BY THE CHAIRPERSONS OF THE BODIES ESTABLISHED BY THE TNC  ...........  3 
3  STATEMENTS BY PARTICIPANTS  ................................ ................................ .................  5 
 
Before proceed ing with the official business of this m eeting , the Chairman took a moment to pay 
tribute to  the late Ambassador Christopher Onyanga Aparr of Uganda who  had passed away in June 
in Geneva.  He said that Ambassador Onyanga Aparr had been a key advocate for least developed 
countries ( LDC) issues within the WTO system, and  had played leadership roles as coordinator of 
the LDC Group and Chair of the Committee on Trade and Developmen t (CTD) . He had been  
instrumental in turning the Trade Facilitation Agreement Facility from vision to reality. The WTO 
community would  miss his professionalism and wisdom. He sent t houghts and prayers to his family, 
friends and the people of Uganda.   
 
1  STATEMENT  BY THE CHAIRMAN  
1.1.  The Chairman  made one statement – covering the T rade Negotiations Committee (TNC)  and 
informal H eads of Delegation s (HoDs) meetings . He said that t he COVID -19 pandemic 's toll in lives 
and health was still rising. All WTO Members ha d been affected. The pandemic was also continuing 
to shake the world economy - and world trade. Its growing economic and social impact w ould shape 
the context for the WTO’s work for the foresee able future.  
1.2.   Since his report at the General Council on 29 May, the WTO ha d continued to work with partner 
organizations to try to mitigate  the trade-related economic fallout from the pandemic. Trade finance 
was one example. Increasing risk aversion in fi nancial markets ha d diminished the supply of credit 
to importers and exporters, especially in developing countries and for smaller businesses. This ma de 
it harder for countries to trade  and drive the economic recovery  that they  all need ed. In response, 
the WTO had brought together six multilateral development banks to issue a joint statement in 
support of trade finance markets. Such coordination c ould be a force multiplier for efforts to ensure 
traders receive d the financing they need ed.  
1.3.  He had been using digital platforms to engage with a wide range of stakeholders on how the 
pandemic was affecting actors and issues such as micro, small and medium -sized enterprises  
(MSMEs) , the environment, and the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals  (SDGs) . He had  
also addressed a virtual meeting of Ministers of the Ottawa Group.   TN/C/M/39  
 
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  1.4.  In all of these conversations, he had  emphasized that international cooperatio n on trade w ould 
be critical to help all countries build back better. Keeping markets broadly open to trade w ould be 
part of achieving a post -COVID -economic recovery that was strong, sustainable, and inclusive.  
1.5.  Recently , there had been some relatively posi tive news. In April, the  WTO's annual trade 
forecast had predicted that global merchandise trade would fall sharply this year. Depending on how 
the pandemic and the response unfolded, by 13 to 32 per cent, or even more. A few weeks back, 
WTO economists  had found that the world economy was  on track for the better end of that range , 
although the estimates still point ed to the steepest fall in trade on record.  But it could have been 
much worse. Policy decisions, particularly emergency fiscal and monetary measu res, ha d helped 
mitigate the economic damage from the pandemic. As Members sought to lay the groundwork for a 
swift return to growth and job creation, policy choices, including on trade, ha d a central role to play. 
Decisions made at the WTO w ould matter.  
1.6.  He was convinced that the year ahead w ould be a defining one for the multilateral trading 
system  (MTS) . As had been  originally scheduled for June, the Twelfth Ministerial Conference ( MC12 ) 
would  have marked a critical juncture for the organization. Multilateral agreements on fisheries 
subsidies and agriculture, together with advances in the joint statement initiatives  (JSIs) , would 
have sent a powerful signal that the WTO could continue to provide certainty and predictability to 
global trade for the next 25 years.  Failure to agree, would have called this into question.  
1.7.  MC12 w ould now  have to do this and more. It w ould mark a key decision point for the direction 
of the post -COVID global economy. He asked if Members would  react to the ongo ing shocks with 
renewed cooperation, leading to shared growth and resilience  or whether they would m ove further 
on the path towards costly fragmentation . The work in the months ahead, including in the TNC would 
help provide the answer.  
1.8.  As he had said in Ma y, it was because of the importance of a successful MC12 that he had  
decided step down at the end of August. Had he stayed on for the remaining year in his term, the 
selection of his successor would have coincided with the preparatory work and difficult trade-offs 
needed to deliver results at the next ministerial. The overlap  would have compromised both 
processes, particularly the MC12 preparatory work. Members could now  decouple one from the other. 
He urged Members  to make the most of this opportunity, by swiftly selecting a new Director -General  
(DG) and working with her or him to chart a course for MC12 and beyond.  
1.9.  The road ahead would  not be easy. While the WTO rulebook still provide d a vital anchor of 
predictability and certainty in the global economy, n egotiating new rules at the WTO had  never been 
straightforward. The COVID -19 pandemic ha d exacerbated the challenges facing the WTO 's 
negotiating pillar. At the same time, it was essential for the WTO 's multilateral track to remain 
functional.  
1.10.   The work of  the TNC w ould be at the heart of Members' efforts to deliver results at MC12 – 
and even before, if Members could  conclude the fisheries subsidies negotiations this year, since the 
oceans were not waiting for Members'  deliberations. In addition, Members were moving forward on 
issues outside the TNC. Such initiatives  were also part of the process of updating the multilateral 
trading system.  
1.11.   All international organizations were at present working to update themselves to remain fit for 
purpose amid changing economic and geopolitical circumstances. The WTO could no t afford to be an 
exception, especially at a time when economies around the world urgently need ed to create jobs 
and growth. Refor m was a permanent task for the WTO – but it was a process that w ould be built 
by specific negotiated decisions.  
1.12.   The past seven years had taught Members  that multilateral agreements were possible when 
the political will was there, and when Members were  pragmatic about the issues to tackle, open to 
creative approaches and compromise, and inclusive towards the voices of all . These lessons would 
be useful as Members  move d forward.  
1.13.   As he had  said, the time for farewells, and any kind of stocktaking, would  be in the General 
Council. But he wished to say that it had been an honour and privilege to have served the 
Membership as TNC Chair. He thank ed all thirty negotiating group chairs who, over the past seven TN/C/M/39  
 
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  years, ha d worked with Members to advance multilateral ne gotiations.  Behind all of this ha d been a 
dedicated, highly professional secretariat team.  
1.14.   He hoped that in the busy period ahead, Members would  keep firmly in sight the real 
importance of what they were  engaged in at the WTO - enabling greater and more su stainable 
prosperity, globally and at the national level. That was the goal. Cooperatively defining conditions 
for international economic exchange was the means. No one would be  following Members'  efforts 
with greater interest than he would .  
1.15.   The Trade Neg otiations Committee took note  of the Chairman's statement.  
2  REPORTS BY THE CHAIRPERSONS OF THE BODIES ESTABLISHED BY THE TNC  
2.1.  The Chairman  said that since his report to the General Council on 29 May, the Chairs ha d 
continued to explore options with Members to allow dialogue to continue. He had  convened a virtual 
meeting of Negotiating Group  Chairs  the previous  Friday to prepare for the present meetings . Two 
of the Chairs  had indicated  that they ha d developments  to report  in their areas.  
2.2.  Ambassador Santiago Wills  (Colombia ), Chairman of the Negotiating Group on Rules  (NGR ), 
said that  the last report on activities in the N GR had been  in the Chairman's  report to the General 
Council on 29 May when he had  noted that the N GR had been , as a whole, not able to fully engage 
and that the best course of action had been  to wait a short while to see how the situation developed.  
2.3.  As the restrictions  had begun  to ease around the middle of June and meetings in the WTO 
premises had begun  to resume, he sent  an e-mail to the NGR on 15 June about how Members  might 
resume work. In that e -mail, he had  reminded the Group that, before the lock -down had come  into 
effect,  he had undertaken to prepare a draft basic consolidated document of disciplines on fisheries 
subsidies, and to start an intensive text -based process aimed at reaching an agreement at MC12, 
which Members  had thought was going to take place in early June.  He had believed the time had 
come to resume work and that, as a first step, he would prepare a first draft of the basic consolidated 
text. He had now done so and  had presented th e text in a meeting of the NGR at the level of Heads 
of Delegation on 25 June. The meeting had been  an opportunity for him to explain the rationale for 
the structure of the text and the specific wording of different articles.  
2.4.  At his request, delegations had  refrained from making interventions at the 25 June meeting, 
with a meeting of the NGR at HOD s level on 21 July,  providing the opportunity for those comments. 
In addition, interested delegations had been invited to consultations that he had  held the previous  
week.   
2.5.  On the draft consolidated text , his aim ha d been to invent nothing new. The text was based on 
the work of the facilitators, supplemented by Members' proposals and a text on the prohibition 
element of disciplines on subsidies for overfishing  and overcapacity that he had distributed on  
9 March.  
2.6.  As the TNC Chairman  and he had anticipated in the meeting of the NG R held at  the HoDs level 
on 6 March, the consolidated text address ed three core pillars of disciplines on fisheries subsidies  - 
discip lines on subsidies to illegal unregulated and reported ( IUU) fishing, overfished stocks, and 
overcapacity and overfishing – as well as some cross -cutting elements, such as scope and definitions. 
However, place holders had been  used for some other cross -cutting issues like disputes, notifications 
and institutional arrangements, as well as for some parts of the basic disciplines, such as capping 
and non -harmful subsidies.  
2.7.  He had  tried not to invent anything. But that did not mean that the draft was a copy -and-paste 
of different existing texts. In putting these different disciplines based on many sources into a single 
text, there had been  areas that had needed to be adjusted in order to make the draft as consistent 
and coherent as possible.  
2.8.  After the meeting on  25 June, he had  distributed the text and his introduction as documents 
RD/TN/RL/126 and 126/Add.1. They had also been translated into Spanish and French.  TN/C/M/39  
 
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  2.9.  Concerning his bilateral consultations , about  30 delegations and groups had taken  up the offer 
to mee t with  him in  the previous  week, representing most of the active participants in the 
negotiations, and raising a wide range of issues on the text.  That said, given that the first exchange 
of views on the text in the NGR would only take place the next day, he would only be in a posi tion 
to draw specific conclusions after that meeting.  
2.10.   Hearing diverse views was to be expected. Everything in th e draft text was in square brackets 
meaning, phrases and paragraphs c ould be amended, added or deleted. He hoped that the meeting  
of the Negoti ating Group would  show that Members were ready, from September onward, to actively 
engage in discussing and amending the text, such that they could  reach a consensus by December.  
2.11.   Turning to the work programme for that period  - again, he could n ot draw any  conclusions 
before the NGR meeting. But he said that the mandate from SDG 14.6 and its deadline of 2020 had 
been agreed by Heads of Government, so he had  to assume that it remain ed Members'  common 
goal.  
2.12.   At the meeting of the N GR, he would  make some sugge stions on how Members could structure 
their work during the fall. Without going into detail on this issue  at the present meeting , he said that 
if Members were  going to work on the basis of an evolving text, then they were  in a different 
negotiating mode and his role, along with the roles of heads of delegation, delegates and facilitators 
would be different.  
2.13.   As part of what Members  decide d, he believe d that they would  need to establish a certain 
structure in the work programme, so that they could  reserve resources like interpretation, meeting 
rooms and platforms for virtual participation of capital -based officials and experts. At the same time, 
to be able to qui ckly progress the discussions at the necessary pace, Members would  need to be 
ready to show flexibility on process and procedure as well as on matters of substance, all the while 
ensuring transparency and inclusiveness.  
2.14.   Finally, he thank ed all delegations  for their patience in waiting for the draft text, and for 
listening carefully to his presentation on 25 June and to this report. He also t hanked delegations and 
groups that  had already shared some views and reactions during his consultations.  He would have 
more updates on both substance and process after the NGR  HODs' meeting.  
2.15.    Ambassador Kadra Ahmed Hassan  (Djibouti ), Chairperson  of the Special Session of the 
Committee on Trade and Development  (CTD-SS), said that  a meeting of the CTD -SS was to have 
been held on 20 March 2020, with the purpose of allowing Members to consider and express 
themselves on the submission by the  G-90 circulated earlier this year in document 
JOB/DEV/60 /JOB/TNC/79. The submission contain ed, inter alia , the G -90’s proposals on special and 
differential treatment  (S&DT). However, the March meeting of the CTD -SS could not take place, due 
to the COVID -19 outbreak and resulting suspension of all meetings at the WTO.  
2.16.   Despite the postponement of the CTD -SS meeting, she believed  that it  was important for 
Members to continue to engage and attempt to take forward the work of the CTD -SS. Accordingly, 
in mid -April, she initiated a process for a written exchange on the G -90 submission.  
2.17.    As a first step in the process, she had  invited Members to submit comments or questions 
they m ight have on the submission. Members provided inputs in this regard  and she thanked them.  
2.18.   In their inputs, some Members  had shared the view that the proposals di d not break new 
ground, since the textual language proposed was what had been tabled earlier. Accordingly, these 
Members  had indicated that the views expressed by them earlier should be considered as their 
response to the G -90 submission. They had also i ndicated that, it would be difficult to make progress 
in the CTD -SS on the basis of the proposals in their current form.  
2.19.    On the other hand, a number of Members  had reiterated the importance of S&D T and had 
expressed their support for the principle of S&D T, where needed, in order to facilitate and support 
the integration of developing countries and LDCs into the multilateral trading system.  Some specific 
suggestions had also been made on how to take forward the work in the CTD -SS, including by 
holding focused  discussions on one or two proposals at a time.  TN/C/M/39  
 
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  2.20.    The comments and questions received  had been compiled into a single document, which had 
been shared with all Members. As the next step, she had  invited the G -90 to provide written 
responses to these comments  and questions. The written responses were submitted by the G -90 a 
few weeks back and ha d since been circulated to Members in document JOB/DEV/61.  
2.21.   She had hoped to convene a meeting of the CTD -SS in July , to allow Members to begin a 
more in -depth discussion on both G -90 submissions – that is, the submission circulated earlier this 
year which contain ed the G -90's proposals on S&DT , and the more recent document containing the 
G-90's responses to the comments and questions from Members.  However, becau se of the lack of 
an available meeting room, it had not been possible to hold a meeting of the CTD -SS before the 
summer break. She now intend ed to convene a meeting of the CTD -SS in September to facilitate a 
discussion on the two submissions by the G -90. 
2.22.   It was clear that divergent views remain ed among Members on the G -90 proposals. 
Nevertheless, she believe d that the written process  that she had initiated provide d an opportunity 
for Members to better understand each other 's positions, and to have a renewed  engagement in this 
important area of work. Her intention was to build on this process to explore where common ground 
could be found, and work with Members so that they could  collectively determine a way forward in 
the CTD -SS. 
2.23.   Before closing, she express ed her appreciation to DG Azevêdo for his leadership of the WTO 
over these past years  and wished him  the best in his future endeavors . 
2.24.   The Trade Negotiations Committee took note  of the reports by the Chairpersons of the bodies 
established by it.  
3  STATEMENTS BY PARTICIPANTS  
3.1.  The representative of European Union  said that  the EU welcome d the resumption of work at 
the WTO and  continue d to appeal  for the use of all available means, including hybrid meetings, to 
allow Members  to pursue their work. It remai ned critical that Members  reinvigorate d each ongoing 
negotiation track with a view to return ing to effective negotiation in each strand of work after the 
summer  break.  
3.2.  As from September, the priorities  of the EU  would be, first, a strong focus on the fisheries 
subsidies negotiations, where  Members  needed to see significant thresholds being crossed in the 
fall; second, the progressive building of an ambitious agenda for MC12. Members  needed to 
collectively build an agenda and assess by the end of the year what c ould be delivered in June 2021 
in each area. He suggest ed that the Chair of the General Council support the Membership on this 
until the new DG was in place;  third, the EU  hoped that the new D G could enter into office as quickly 
as possible.  
3.3.  He said that Members w ould agree that the WTO need ed to play a role in the global economic 
recovery efforts and to address challenges born out of the COVID -19 pandemic. For this reason, the 
EU look ed forward to continu ing advancing three topics in particular . First, enhanced transparency 
at the WTO of all measure s enacted in the context of the pandemic, including economic support 
measures; and second, Members  should seek the facilitation of trade in health products. The EU ha d 
recently issued a concept paper in this respect. Its proposed approach would combine a t ariff 
dimension, export and import restrictions, and customs and trade facilitation. The EU was  ready to 
engage with Members on that basis. A contribution by the WTO on trade and health would contribute 
to enhanc ing Members ' resilience and access to critic al products in times of pandemic.  Thirdly, 
Members had to bring sustainability to the forefront, not only by finalizing the Fisheries Subsidies 
negotiations, but by also exploring ways in which trade could ensure a sustainable and green 
recovery.  Finally, Members had to  continue to progress in earnest on J SIs on e-commerce, 
investment facilitation and domestic regulation in services.  
3.4.  The representative of Thailand  said that with the COVID -19 pandemic significantly impacting 
economies across the globe, the unique ability of the WTO to ensure stable, predictable, a nd fair 
trade as well as improve trade was needed to ensure expedited global economic recovery. While this 
added an extra layer of responsibility to the WTO and its Membership, on top of a host of vital 
challenges facing the WTO prior to the pandemic, it had to be welcomed.  TN/C/M/39  
 
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  3.5.  The special General Council m eeting  which had been  held the previous  week had highlighted 
Members ' collective concerns on a broad range of issues pertinent to the WTO and pinpoint ed the 
work that Members  need to be doing. Questions to t he candidates  had shown some recurring 
themes, including strengthening the WTO 's relevancy in the current trading landscape, enhancement 
of the organization through reform, driving forward key negotiations, resolving the Appellate Body  
(AB) impasse, and in tegrating all Members into global trade.  
3.6.  While it was vital to come to a consensus on the appointment of a new DG as soon as possible, 
Members w ould need to remain driven and make every effort to converge quickly on the shared 
concerns mentioned in order to ensure that the WTO remain ed effective in improving trade and 
maximizing benefits for all Members in the current landscape.  
3.7.  In this regard, Thail and mentioned  some of its priorities as follows:  first, it urged Members to 
provide the needed flexibility to find a solution to the AB  impasse expeditiously, as it ha d 
substantially affected the full functioning of the dispute settlement system, Members ' rights and 
obligations, and the overall credibility of the WTO. Second, further discussions on WTO reform had 
to continue to progress including in the areas of enhancing transparency, revitalizing the 
negotiations, and improving the efficiency and effectiv eness of WTO regular bod ies. Members had 
to find ways to strengthen the WTO through gradual, inclusive, and meaningful reforms, consistent 
with key objectives of the WTO. Th ird, Members had to  work to deliver outcomes on important 
negotiations, especially for fisheries subsidies and agriculture . In this connection, Thailand welcome d 
the consolidated text for the fisheries subsidies negotiations distributed the previous  month, which 
it believ ed had captured key elements in the facilitators ' work and Members' proposals and therefore 
should be a good starting point for advancing the text -based negotiations. However, Members 
needed to intensify progress if they were to successfully reach an agreement by the end of this year. 
In this regard, Tha iland remain ed flexible to the resumption of work through appropriate means and 
format s, taking into account the evolving situation of the COVID -19 pandemic.  
3.8.  Another negotiating issue of priority for Thailand was agriculture and it wished  to highlight the 
crucial importance of making substantive progress in the area of domestic support. It continue d to 
believe that the framework for negotiations on domestic support submitted by  the Cairns Group 
members in January c ould be a basis for a balanced and meaningf ul outcome on this issue. Thailand 
congratulate d Ambassador Gloria A braham Peralta of Costa Rica, who w ould be formally appointed 
as the new  Committee on Agriculture in Special Session ( CoA-SS) Chair the next day . Thailand  
trusted that she w ould continue t he work of Ambassador Ford and lead the Membership to achieve 
substantial progress in the agriculture negotiations and possibly a package of outcomes at MC12.  
3.9.  The representative of Chad speaking on behalf of the LDC Group  said that the LDC Group was 
still concerned about the never -ending health crisis situation, of which the impact on the way of 
working, and especially on economies, was not yet fully estimated. The world was likely to pay a 
heavy price, both in human and financial as pects, until a vaccine for  COVID -19 was found . The LDC 
Group  hoped that this solution c ould be achieved  as soon as possible.  
3.10.   In the meantime, however, Members had to  manage the situation as best as possible, and to 
maintain as much as possible the drivers of global growth, business activity, and employment. Trade 
and flows of goods and services were therefore fundamental, and Members had to ensure that 
international flows were not interrupted, or drastically reduced. The Group had  expressed its views 
on thi s matter, with regard to trade in medical and pharmaceutical products, as well as in agricultural 
products, for which it had  asked that exports  should not be restricted , so that LDCs could combat 
the spread of the pandemic and not suffer from food shortage s.  
3.11.   Members had  also seen, during the current crisis, how useful information and communication 
technology was, not only in keeping Members  connected and allow ing the continu ation of  work, but 
also to allow ing a certain continuity of trade activity.  
3.12.   In the current context, it was important to maintain the maximum of international trade 
transactions, even if it was true that some sectors, such as tourism, c ould not escape a decline or 
an interruption of activity  – according to countries and regions most affected by the health crisis.   
3.13.   Beyond the imperative of a return to normal life, in terms of multilateral trade negotiations 
at the WTO, the LDC Group continue d to defend its positions on various subjects, in the  run up to TN/C/M/39  
 
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  MC12, such as on fisheries subsidies, agriculture, cotton, S&DT , graduation from LDC status, and 
WTO reform.  
3.14.   The LDCs also continue d to consider as a priority the implementation of decisions taken in the 
past in  their favor, on duty-free and quo ta-free (DFQF)  market access  , preferences under the waiver 
on services in favor of LDC services providers, and preferential rules of origin for LDCs.  
3.15.   The LDC Group was active and constructive in the negotiations on fisheries subsidies and 
other areas of importance to LDCs.  Nevertheless, its resources remain ed limited.  The Group hoped 
that the various communications and submissions it had  made so far c ould be taken into account by 
Members, with a view to achieving results by MC12.  
3.16.   The Group would redouble efforts and continue  working to prepare the ground for MC12 . Its 
objective was to reach decisions that favor ed conditions for fairer, more equitable and inclusive 
trade, so as to accelerate  the integration  of its members  into world  trade and allow their economi es 
to catch up.  Therefore,  in order to minimize the long -term negative economic effects, the Group  
favored strong positive outcomes, and decisions in favor of their structural consolidation, ability to 
export and  integrate.  
3.17.   The LDC Group remain ed committed to a fair, equitable and inclusive trading system. It 
expect ed that the next DG  would be sensitive to the importance of the Group's  integration in world 
trade.  It hoped that the appointment process would  be quickly finalized,  in order to install a 
personality who w ould focus on bringing Members closer to effectively resolving the differences they 
faced . The LDC Group was ready to support the next D G in this direction.   
3.18.   The representative of Chinese Taipei  thank ed the Chairman for his efforts in continuously 
supervising the progress of the negotiations during his tenure, which fulfill ed transparency and 
assist ed the operation of one of the three pillars of the WTO.  
3.19.   In the previous week, Members at the General Council had  met with the eight DG candidates. 
Through their briefings and questions and answers, Members had been able to better understand 
their views on the WTO. This process had also caused Members to think about the future of the WTO 
and how they could  jointly re spond to the current challenges. His delegation welcome d the 
candidates ' enthusiasm , active attitude, and willingness to work together with Members to regain 
the momentum of the WTO, assist economic recovery in the post -pandemic era, and ensure that all 
Members c ould benefit from the multilateral trading system . His delegation would work with other 
Members and look ed forward to selecting the appropriate DG as soon as possible to lead all of 
Members  forward.  
3.20.   All Members  agree d that MC12 provide d a window of opportunity for the WTO. Among many 
issues, his delegation wished  to emphasize once again that Members should com plete the fisher ies 
subsid ies negotiations with the willingness to compromise, so as to communicate the successful 
outcome of multilateral negotiations to the outside world.  
3.21.   His delegation appreciated the efforts made by Ambassador Wills in tabling his dra ft text with 
a view to moving the negotiation forward, which w ould be discussed thoroughly the following day . 
In general, this draft had the right spirit, in that subsidies should be disciplined in line with Members'  
responsibility to perform due diligence  on those carrying out fishing and benefiting from the subsidies 
they provide d, which was something his delegation ha d been advocating.  
3.22.   His delegation did  however, invite Members to have another look at its joint proposal with the 
EU, Japan and Korea on pr ohibiting subsidies contributing to overfishing and over -capacity, which 
contain ed elements that were doable, and which ha d attracted a certain amount of interest and 
support from other Members. His delegation w ould work closely with the NGR Chair and inte rested 
Members to figure out how its approach c ould contribute to this negotiation.  
3.23.   In addition, his delegation agreed  that the plurilateral JSIs ha d brought flexibility and 
creativity to the WTO negotiations. Among them, the e -commerce initiative c ould assist Members in 
responding to the crisis. His delegation  thank ed the co -convenors  - Australia, Japan, Singapore - 
and the various facilitators for their efforts in maintain ing momentum and progress of the TN/C/M/39  
 
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  negotiations. His delegation h oped that more Members w ould join and work together to complete 
the streamlined text before MC12.  
3.24.   He affirmed h is delegation's commitment to continue to work with Members to make 
meaningful WTO reforms, including reform of the dispute settlement system, and de liver concrete 
results at the MC12.  
3.25.   The representative of Burkina Faso  speaking on behalf of the Group of Co -Sponsors of the 
Sectoral Initiative in Favour of Cotton (C4) and all 36 African countries that produce and/or export 
cotton and its by -products , said that more than 17 years after the launch of the Sectoral Initiative 
in Favour of Cotton, the LDCs that produce and export cotton continued to face unfair competition 
due to domestic support granted by certain Members to their cotton producer s and processors. 
Difficulties in finding a swift and appropriate solution to the issue of domestic support granted by 
certain WTO Members to their cotton producers had prevented many small -scale producers in LDCs 
from making a decent living from their har d work and limited the abilities of their countries to 
integrate into cotton value chains.  
3.26.   In order to identify points of convergence and achieve satisfactory results on domestic support 
for cotton by MC12, the C4 propos ed that negotiations be continued ba sed on the outcome of the 
consultations held in 2019 facilitated by Brazil. To that end, the Group called for leadership from the 
TNC and COA -SS Chairs in order to advance discussions with all members of the Quad Plus. The 
negotiation of concrete and subst antial results on the vital issue of cotton, in the short term, would 
help to strengthen trust in the WTO and its credibility as a more humane organization.  
3.27.   The representative of South Africa  aligned her delegation with the statement by the African 
Group  and the ACP.  She said that COVID -19 remain ed an unprecedented crisis of the time and ha d 
exposed many vulnerabilities especially for developing countries.  In the 18th Nelson Mandela lecture 
of 18 July 2020, the UN S ecretary General  had said that "COVID -19 has exposed the fragility of the 
world, the injustice of rising inequality and the fallacies and falsehoods, including that free markets 
can deliver healthcare for all ". He emphasised that "we have an opportunity to build back a more 
equal and sustainable  world based on a New Social Contract and a New Global Deal ". In her 
delegation's  view, the pandemic ha d exposed the cost of non -commitment to the Doha Development 
Agenda ( DDA) and the WTO 's failure to deliver on the promise of development.  
3.28.   Agriculture rem ained a core priority for MC12 . COVID -19 would without a doubt affect the 
agriculture negotiations,  and the WTO had to  deliver on mandated issues such as public stockholding 
for food security ( PSH), trade distorting domestic support ( TDDS ), special safegua rd mechanism 
(SSM) and cotton. A balanced outcome that was reflective of priorities in agriculture, effectively 
respond ed to the effects of COVID -19 and preserve d the policy space available to developing 
countries to promote food security and support vulnerable farmers  was needed . Her delegation 
would  engage constructively in the negotiations towards successful outcomes in MC12 and look ed 
forward to working with th e new C OA-SS Chair . 
3.29.   On the fisheries subsidies n egotiations , her delegation was committed to conclud ing these 
negotiations in line with SDG 14.6.  It consider ed the consolidated text as without prejudice to the 
positions of Members. While her delegation  recognise d the importance of these negotiations and the 
need for conclusion, the process could not  be blind to the unprecedented challenge presented by 
COVID -19 and the need to ensure that the process was transparent, inclusive and allow ed for 
Members to get mandates from capitals and to have capital -based fisheries officials involved. 
Disciplines had to  deliver on all pillars of the mandate, target large scale industrial fishing and not 
constrain the use of beneficial subsidies that contribute d to the sustain ability of fish stocks, 
safeguard food security and livelihoods of coastal communities, including policy space to develop 
their marine resources. S&D T had to be an integral part of the outcome. Her delegation would work 
constructively with the Chair toward s a balanced outcome that deliver ed on the mandate.  
3.30.   In relation to  S&DT, the G -90 had tabled its revised proposal  in document  JOB/DEV/60 / 
JOB/TNC/79 . The G -90 thank ed Members for the questions raised and had provided comprehensive 
inputs through JOB/DEV/61 . S&DT was one of the key principles of the WTO provided to  developing 
countries  to adjust to trade rules at their pace and in accordance with their level of  development . 
This principle and right had to  be preserved and was central to the integration of developing countries 
in global trade. She emphasize d that the G -90 was not asking for carve outs from multilateral rules. TN/C/M/39  
 
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  The proposals were a genuine attempt to address real and specific challenges facing dev eloping 
countries in their quest to participate in global trade and industrialize . The Group  continue d to 
engage constructively with a view to hav ing a meaningful outcome on this important issue at MC12.  
3.31.   On the e-commerce and TRIPS moratoria, each moratori um had to  be considered on its merit 
as their mandates and contexts were different.  
3.32.   Regarding the E-Commerce Work Programme , e-commerce and digital trade were important 
and need ed to be pursued in an inclusive manner or it w ould exacerbate the existing imbalances in 
global trade. COVID -19 ha d demonstrated the importance of the 1998 Work Programme and the 
need to address the digital divide. Members had to  reinvigorate the work under  the Work Programme 
to inform decision -making in MC12. This w ould necessitate that the relevant bodies take up this 
discussion based on their mandate so as to make progress by MC12. The priority had to be the scope 
of the moratorium which w ould inform deci sion-making by MC12.  Members  also had to  prioritise the 
work of the CTD that was mandated to discuss the developmental aspects that were key to ensuring 
inclusive participation in the digital economy.  
3.33.   In relation to TRIPS Agreement , COVID -19 was fundamenta lly a health crisis. The WTO ha d 
a role to play in contributing to a multilateral solution that ensure d affordable access to the vaccine 
and requisite technologies.  
3.34.   On transparency,  her delegation  continue d to advocate for a cooperative, development -
oriented approach and would  work constructively with Members in this regard.  
3.35.   The impasse on the appointment of AB members ha d significant implications for the 
preservation of rights and obligations of Members. A solution -oriented multilateral process to restore  
a two -stage dispute settlement system and unlock the impasse in the selection process of AB 
members  was needed . 
3.36.   In relation to the reform of the WTO , her delegation's views were captured in 
WT/GC/W/778/Rev.3. Her delegation  reiterate d that reform had to promote inclusivity, address 
historical imbalances, enhance integration of developing countries in global trade and deliver on the 
development mandate. The lack of a structured discussion on reform was resulting in unilateral 
implementa tion of measures that undermine d the core principles of the WTO and mandated issues.  
3.37.   The TNC had been  established under the DDA with a view to deliver ing on critical issues that 
promote d development. The DDA was not limited to  the fisheries negotiations. Meaningful outcomes 
in agriculture and in all the outstanding issues  needed to be delivered . This was critical for progress 
and for the WTO to contribute meaningfully to people 's livelihoods, food security, sustainable 
development and job creation. Develop ment was not limited to technical assistance and capacity 
building . It had to underpin the development of rules in the multilateral trading system  and this 
necessitate d the recognition of differences in levels of development and the need for flexibilities to 
ensure that Members t ook commitments commensurate with their level of development.  
3.38.   In preparation for MC12, South Africa w ould constructively engage in a process that w ould 
ensure that the WTO deliver ed on mandated issues in the interests of all its Members, contribute d 
to economic recovery, industrialisation and job creation.  
3.39.   The representative of Canada  provide d an update on the work of the Ottawa Group  and 
delivered a statement on behalf of Canada. He said that Ottawa Group  (OG) Ministers had met 
virtually on June 15, where they  had underlined their commitment to strengthen ing and support ing 
the WTO. Notably, Ministers  had reiterated the importance of achieving a meaningful outcome on 
fisheries subsidies and  noted the opportunity at MC12 to demonst rate progress on the JSIs, including 
on e-commerce and investment facilitation for development. Moreover, in order to demonstrate the 
importance of the WTO 's work, Ministers  had agreed to a six -point action plan that the Group w ould 
implement in support of  COVID -19 response measures at the WTO.  
3.40.   This statement, called "Focusing Action on C OVID -19", had been  communicated to the 
General Council on 16 June 2020 (WT/GC/217). The six points were: transparency and withdrawal 
of trade -restrictive measures, keeping  open and predictable trade in agricultural and agri -food TN/C/M/39  
 
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  products, e -commerce, trade facilitation and use of information technology and streamlined 
procedures, an initiative on medical supplies, and deepening engagement with stakeholders.  
3.41.   The first actio n area in that statement concern ed transparency, focusing in particular on the 
trade policy monitoring work carried out by the Trade Policy Review Mechanism. The EU  would share 
a communication on behalf of most OG members and potentially other Members to be discussed at 
the next T rade Policy Review Body (TPRB) , welcoming efforts by the WTO Secretariat to monitor 
COVID -19 related measures, including regulatory measures, and  support and encourage more work 
to collect and share information and best practices on trade -related measures, including 
trade -related economic support measures, taken in response to COVID -19. 
3.42.   With respect to the second action point, a virtual meeting of the Ottawa Group deputy 
permanent representatives meeting had been  held, where Brazil had presented a discussion paper 
on agriculture, which would inform discussions in the Ottawa Group. Brazil w ould share its paper 
with the broader Membership in due cours e. 
3.43.   In addition, on July 6, Switzerland had hosted a meeting of the Group 's e-commerce sounding 
board to take stock of the progress made on the JSI on e -commerce negotiations, and to discuss 
next steps.  It had also offered an opportunity to share views on t he moratorium on custom duties 
on electronic transmissions.  
3.44.   With respect to fisheries subsid ies negotiations, the Group ha d continued to share 
perspectives on how to reach a successful conclusion to these negotiations and  treat the Group as a 
"sounding board " for ideas.  
3.45.   Ottawa Group members w ould continue to engage on the various elements of the statement , 
including by reconvening for a vice -ministerial meeting on July 28.  
3.46.   Speaking on behalf of Canada , he said that his delegation welcome d continuing efforts by the 
Membership to respond to COVID -19 and to maintain cooperation and coordination in order to 
address the health and economic impacts of the crisis and to support the global economic recovery. 
He noted that since the last meeting, a numb er of statements and proposals on COVID -19 had been  
issued, including the statement on open and predictable trade in agricultural and food products, the 
Ottawa Group statement, the Cairns Group statement on protecting global food security through 
open trad e, and the African Group Statement on implications of COVID -19. His delegation was  
encourage d by the various discussions that ha d been taking place through the relevant WTO regular 
bodies on the impacts of the current crisis.   
3.47.   On the agriculture negotiatio ns, Canada welcome d the nomination of the new Chair and 
looked forward to the committee confirming it. For its part, Canada w ould continue to play a 
constructive role and plan ned to bring forward pragmatic proposals across the negotiations towards 
MC12.  
3.48.   For the fisheries subsidies negotiations, Canada thank ed the Chair for having tabled his draft 
consolidated text and support ed it as a starting point for text -based negotiations. More detailed 
comments  would be made at the HoDs  meeting , but his delegation wished to reiterate the 
importance of concluding an agreement this year and deliver ing on SDG 14.6, to the extent that this 
was possible given the continuing uncertainty around COVID -19.  
3.49.   Canada remain ed strongly committed to the JSI on e -commerce. In the past months, this JSI 
had demonstrated its capacity to adapt to Members'  new virtual reality, which  had allowed 
participating Members to make progress on streamlining text proposals. Canada believe d 
participants were  on track for a consolida ted text before the end of the year.  
3.50.   On services domestic regulation, Canada welcome d Mauritius'  participation and commend ed 
it for having submitted a draft indicative schedule. Canada was confident that an ambitious revised 
reference paper, capturing all the progress made, c ould be issued by the summer break. With only 
a few outstanding issues remaining in the text, Canada was looking forward to working with all 
interested Members with the aim of concluding these negotiations as soon as possible.   TN/C/M/39  
 
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  3.51.   Canada continue d to actively participate in the Investment Facilitation for development 
informal discussions and welcome d the constructive exchange of ideas between participants.   
3.52.   Finally, Canada was  concerned by the A B's inability to hear appeals due to t he appointment 
blockage and remain ed open to engaging in constructive discussions with Members. Canada w ould 
continue to contribute to the work on the Multi -Party Interim Appeal -Arbitration Arrangement  (MPIA)  
amongst Members wanting to preserve their right s to binding two -stage adjudication between them. 
It invite d all Members that d id not participate in the MPIA to consider endorsing it.  
3.53.   The representative of Turkey  said that the COVID -19 pandemic w ould have profound impact 
on the global economy and trade. This global health crisis w ould likely bring about various changes 
to the trade environment in terms of global supply chains, the extent of state involvement in the 
economy, and economic development processes worldwide.  
3.54.   During t he pandemic, it ha d become  more evident that trade should continue to contribute to 
global recovery and the needs and priorities of Members should be adequately addressed. The WTO 's 
role in this picture bec ame more critical. This ma de the WTO negotiations more relevant for the 
future of the WTO.  
3.55.   At this critical juncture, there was no sufficient progress on crucial topics. The negotiation 
function of the WTO was not performing. Members were still far behind of their commitments 
mandated in ministerial decisions. In addition, essential functions of th e organization, such as 
dispute settlement were coming to a halt.  
3.56.   The c ontinuation of a lack of a function ing AB would have a devastating impact on the rules -
based multilateral trading system . Members had to recognize the urgency of this matter and continue 
discussions to overcome t he current stalemate. There were now 121 Members endorsing the start 
of the selection processes for the vacancies of the AB. Discussions on current deficiencies of th e 
system should continue but  should not stand as an impediment to launching the selection processes, 
which  his delegation  believe d would  benefit no one. Turkey reiterate d its support to the preserv ation 
of a two-tier character and binding nature of  the dispute settlement system.  
3.57.   Turkey continued to see the fisheries subsidies  negotiations as one of the most important 
topics on Members'  current agenda. It welcome d the  Chair 's draft consolidated text. Shifting to a 
text-based  negotiation  had been s omething  that it had long been looking for.  Delivering a meaningful 
and credible outcome in the fisheries subsidies negotiations was crucial since it w ould show that the 
WTO's negotiating function was still strong. Turkey was ready  to constructively engage with Members  
to that end.  
3.58.   It believe d that at this critical time, the agriculture negotiations ha d become more important 
than ever for fair, balanced and meaningful outcomes to build sustainable and resilient agriculture 
sectors. Members needed to resume their work within the framework of COA -SS meetings to the 
extent possible. Turkey was open to discussions that w ould move Members  forward on the way 
to MC12.  
3.59.   As Members were  going through  the selection of a new DG, advancing these  issues to the 
extent possible w ould have an impact on WTO 's effectiveness especially in the economic recovery 
period. Turkey's hope was that Members  continue d to engage them in a result -oriented fashion. 
Members  had always said that the WTO was a "Member -driven " organization. They needed to back 
this notion with their actions by trying to secure convergence on realistic outcomes. This w ould 
provide a sense of direction for the new DG and show that Members value d the WTO as the 
centerstage for the rules -based multilateral trading system.  
3.60.   The representative of Brazil  said that  this being the last TNC  of the Chairman, i t had been an 
honor for Brazil to have  had him as the DG for the past 7 years. Brazilians were proud of his career 
as WTO DG.   
3.61.   Turning to how Brazil s aw the WTO reform process in the post -pandemic world , he said that  
the WTO face d three major challenges in the next 12  months:  first was finding a new DG that w ould 
offer the indispensable political  leade rship, at the highest level, to navigate the most serious crisis 
of this  Organization – one that impact ed the negotiating, jurisdictional, and  monitoring functions of TN/C/M/39  
 
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  the WTO ; second  was making sure that measures  that had been  placed during the pandemic were 
rolled back, while preserving Members sovereign right to protect their  populations in periods of public 
health cris es. Members had to  preserve public  health, but also need ed to avoid disguised and 
opportunistic  protectionis m. The pandemic should  not be used as a justification to restrict  trade or 
promote self -sufficiency goals.  Third was crafting a negotiating package for MC12. This package  had 
to contain deliverables in agriculture . Brazil  had submitted to the Ottawa  Group a conceptual paper 
on food security and international trade in  agriculture. Many of the developments during the 
pandemic  had pointed to the need for reforms in agriculture trade, particularly in domestic  support. 
Members  needed to reduce all current agricu ltural trade-distorting domestic support entitlements.  
The Ministerial Declaration on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures ( SPS) that Brazil and other 
Members – the USA, Argentina, Australia, Chile, Canada, Singapore, among  others – expect ed to be 
endorsed at MC12 , could also push forward the  negotiating agenda in agriculture.  The conclusion of 
the fisheries negotiations was  essential. It ha d trade, environmental, and systemic repercussions for 
the WTO.  Advances in plurilateral initiatives – e-commerce , investment  facilitation, and domestic 
regulation  were important . His delegation was  ready to engage in other  plurilateral initiatives, which 
should be an integral part of the WTO.  
3.62.   Members n eeded to reinvent and rebuild the AB. His delegation wa s working with other  
partners on an interim solution, the MPIA. But nothing c ould substitute a  multilateral solution. Brazil 
was ready to engage in discussions on the shape  of a new two-tiered dispute settlement mechanism 
for the WTO.   
3.63.   Members needed to en hance the monitoring and transparency functions of the  WTO.  
Horizontal disciplines that level ed the playing field were important, more than  ever. The WTO had 
to respond to the realities of the world economy if it was to remain relevant. S &DT was part of th is 
discussion. But it went beyond. The  WTO had to  be prepared to live up to its foundational principles. 
Members had to put again at the heart of the WTO the principle of market economy and the  pursuit 
of open trade as a driving force to economic growth, p rosperity,  and development.  Brazil w ould also 
follow closely the Brexit process. The EU quota  apportionment w ould have important trade and 
systemic consequences as  well as the status of Ireland in this arrangement.   
3.64.    Brazil wished , above all, to reform  the WTO and strengthen the multilateral  trading system.  
He urged  Members to not underestimate the existential threats to the multilateral  trading system 
that they all face d. But his delegation was  convinced that the next 12 months  up to MC12 c ould be 
an opportunity to put the WTO and the trade regime  back on track.  
3.65.   The representative of the Russian Federation  said that Members had to conduct their 
negotiations in turbulent times. The international community was called upon to save mutual trust 
and in ternational trade relations. In this respect, the WTO 's relevance had to be  reaffirmed as quickly 
as possible. This could not happen without  an adequate ly functioning dispute settlement system, 
strengthening of transparency and notification discipline s in the WTO, the achievement of tangible 
results in substantial negotiations, in particular on fisher ies subsidies, and a strong substantive 
preparatio n for MC12. He called upon all participants to commit themselves to these imperative 
tasks.  
3.66.   The paralysis of the AB was of serious  concern. This exceptional situation  had forced many 
Members to join the MPIA, which  seem ed relevant and understandable. However, their preference 
as a long -term solution  was to make the Dispute Settlement Understandin g (DSU) fully operative 
again. He hoped that Members' active engagement on this issue w ould bring them to its resolution  
soon. 
3.67.   On fisheries subsidies, his delegation welcomed  the new consolidated Chair 's negotiating text, 
which could constitute a good basi s for resumption of the negotiations. His capital was considering 
it and his delegation would deliver its preliminary comments at the Chair 's consultations the next 
day.  
3.68.   On transparency, two documents were being discussed in the WTO  bodies . His delegation  was 
in favor of a common ground between these two approaches. Russia ha d also  circulated its own 
proposal on transparency of applied tariff. It looked forward to further work on it with interested 
Members, in order to agree on substance.  TN/C/M/39  
 
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  3.69.   The current situation ha d confirmed the importance of MSMEs for the economies  of Members . 
Russia did a lot in order to help its MSMEs survive the crisis, and it believed that it was appropriate 
for the WTO to take part in this effort. Therefore, his delegation  had intensified its activities in the 
Informal Working Group on MSMEs. In this regard , it called upon other Members to consider 
favorably the proposals of the Group, and to think about joining the initiative.  
3.70.   His delegation welcomed the resumption of work  under the J SI on e-commerce. Business 
models of the 21st century were closely related to e -commerce, and it was better to have an 
understanding at a multilateral level of approaches to its regulation. For his delegation , it was 
important to have a balance d approach, where market access was linked to the government 's right 
to have sufficient regulatory capabilities.  
3.71.   Russia ha d also introduced some initiatives in agriculture.  It had  proposed a new formula 
approach to the reduction of TDDS . Flexibilities pro vided in its proposal could bridge the positions of 
Members and lead to a meaningful outcome in  the agricultural negotiations. In addition, it had  put 
forward two initiatives on tariff-rate quota (TRQ)  administration and transparency. It wished to 
continue  constructive discussions on substance  and was open to hear ing all views, alternative 
approaches and new ideas on this negotiating track.  
3.72.   He conclude d by saying that if the WTO d id not have a new DG within a few months, it w ould 
put more pressure on Members . Therefore, their main task was to reach a consensus solution as 
soon as possible. Facing an existential crisis, the WTO need ed a leader that could reconcile the 
deeply rooted po sitions of Members, could be able to smooth out contradictions and at the same 
time remain neutral.  
3.73.   The representative of India said that many parts of the world, continue d to witness rapid 
growth in COVID -19 infections and death. India continue d to bear an enormous socio -economic fall 
out from the pandemic. While the primary focus of the Indian  government remain ed the health and 
safety of its citizens; revival of the economy, ensuring stable markets, supply chains and job creation 
were some of the other b igger challenges that demand ed its immediate attention . Despite these 
challenges, India had  been mindful of the importance of work at the WTO and ha d maintained active 
engagement in  the WTO's work. However, as Members  move d forward, the Membership and the 
heads of various Committees need ed to be mindful of the constrains under which delegations were  
operating. Expectation s, therefore, need ed to be calibrated with the evolving pandemic situation.  
3.74.   Turning to some of the issues of concern and priority , on the AB, India was a major user of 
the WTO’s dispute settlement system.  It believe d that the resolution of the AB crisis deserve d the 
utmost priority and should precede all other reforms.  
3.75.   Regarding the f isheries subsidies negotiations , his delegation appreciate d the efforts of the 
NGR Chair for the draft consolidated text for a balanced outcome. His delegation  consider ed this 
draft to be a basis for negotiations. Members had  lost four crucial months due to the pandemic and 
there were continued challeng es in capitals  due to the prevailing pandemic. But his delegation was  
committed to resuming the negotiations in a constructive manner to narrow down the gaps, in 
formats that were transparent and inclusive. Members had to  work to conclude the negotiations on 
ending harmful fisheries subsidies.  Disciplines needed to  focus on distant water and large -scale 
industrial fishing, provide exemption and carve outs for the needs of small and subsistence fishermen 
who operate d in the territorial seas and exclusive eco nomic zones (EEZs) and seek greater 
contribution from those who provide d large subsidies, both in value and on per -capita basis. 
Members also  needed to quickly converge the various approaches for overfishing and overcapacity 
on the table and start negotiating on the consolidated text covering all pillars.  Further, Members had 
to be mindful that concluding this negotiation would be difficult without S&DT  for developing 
countries who need ed it and for LDCs as agreed to by leaders in SDG 14.6 and ministers at MC11.  
This was a sensitive issue involving livelihood s of millions of marginal fishermen.   
3.76.   On the E -commerce Work Programme , the COVID -19 pandemic ha d accelerated the shift to 
a digital economy and ha d once again brought out the existing digital di vide between developed and 
developing countries. It was important to significantly update the 1998 Work Programme on E-
commerce and to understand the scope of the moratorium, its potential impact on the sustainability 
of the domestic industry and job creat ion in developing Members and on revenue generation.  Without 
an updated work programme which c ould provide clarity on these issues, any decision on the TN/C/M/39  
 
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  moratorium, much like rulemaking on e -commerce, w ould be a leap in the dark, something his 
delegation co uld not commend to the Membership.    
3.77.   Regarding agriculture , his delegation  welcome d the new COA -SS Chair,  Ambassador Gloria  
Abraham Peralta  of Costa Rica and also thank ed the outgoing Chair , Ambassador Deep Ford of 
Guyana,  for his contribution in advancing  the Committee 's work.  His delegation  hoped that the new 
COA-SS Chair w ould work to build consensus among Members for advancing a fair and balanced 
agenda, in an independent, open and transparent manner.  His delegation w ould extend its full 
support to that effort.  
3.78.   There ha d been a recent push for advancement of negotiations on d omestic support with the 
narrative of capping and reducing all forms of trade and production distorting domestic support. His 
delegation's  views on this issue remain ed clear. The focus should be first on eliminating the 
asymmetries in aggregate measure of support ( AMS) entitlements in the Agreement on Agriculture.  
His delegation  support ed a sequential approach where  the final bound total (FBT)  AMS entitlements 
were capped, reduced and eliminated first.  Only once the playing field was levelled, should Member s 
have a discussion on disciplining other forms of domestic support. Similarly, there c ould be no 
question of accepting any limits or reduction in Article 6.2 support, which by definition was minimally 
trade -distorting. The domestic support disciplines als o need ed to be guided by per -capita numbers . 
Other mandated issues in agriculture, PSH, for which Members had  missed deadlines, need ed to be 
prioritized. These were, in its view, the more effective and lasting way of ensuring food and livelihood 
security o f the most vulnerable, bearing the brunt of the current pandemic.  
3.79.   Members were at a critical juncture. MC12 was an opportunity to showcase that  the WTO 
matter ed. The results Members achieve d at MC12, especially on fisheries subsid ies disciplines, 
resurrect ion of the AB, a way forward on WTO reforms and agricultural negotiations, c ould increase 
trust in the rules -based multilateral trading system. He hoped that all delegations w ould seize the 
opportunity. On behalf of his county, he thank ed the DG for his efforts over the years, as the 
Chair man of the TNC, in moving the WTO negotiations forward.  
3.80.   The representative of the Philippines  said that  the Chair 's report and updates by the Chairs of 
the Negotiating Groups and conveners  of the JSIs had demonstrate d that the WTO c ould help build 
a more resilient and responsive multilateral trading system by moving forward on mandated 
negotiating issues of importance for developing countries and on emerging areas of relevance to the 
global economy such as e -commerce, investment facilitation, and MSMEs.  
3.81.   On the fisheries subsidies negotiations, the Philippines, being one of the early advocates of 
text-based negotiations, welcome d the NGR Chair's initiative and hard work in circulating the first 
draft consolida ted text on fisheries subsidies on 25 June 2020. The Philippines was of  the view that 
negotiating with a single document c ould facilitate the completion of the negotiations and usher an 
early delivery of the Agreement by end of 2020 as mandated by MC11.The  Chair 's proposed work 
program in the fall was equally acceptable especially with the possibility of capital -based experts’ 
participation. He assure d Ambassador Wills of his delegation 's positive engagement.  
3.82.   On the agriculture negotiations, the Philippine s congratulate d Ambassador Gloria Abraham 
Peralta for her chairmanship of the CoA -SS. The Philippines  remained  committed to the reform 
objective in line with Article 20 of the A greement on Agriculture . However, at this critical time, when 
countries were continuously responding to the challenges of the COVID -19 pandemic, many 
Members, including the Philippines, ha d to reflect on their agricultural trade policies and courses of 
action to deal with the do wnturn. In its view, this crisis w ould change the landscape of the 
negotiations , thus it anticipate d possible re -alignment of priorities and positions of Members in the 
days to come. Nonetheless, for his delegation, domestic support which ha d initially gar nered broad 
agreement from the Membership as the priority for reform, still remain ed. His delegation w ould also 
continue to contribute to fulfilling the mandate for a permanent solution to PSH and a balanced 
outcome on a special safeguard mechanism ( SSM) to contribute to ensuring food security. It trusted 
in the leadership of the Chair in moving the agriculture negotiations forward . 
3.83.   The Philippines welcome d the substantial progress in the various MC11 JSIs, specifically on 
MSMEs, e -commerce, and investment facilitation, to which it was a signatory. It acknowledge d the 
dedication and flexibility demonstrated by Members of these initiatives to continue  to work in an 
open, transparent, and inclusive manner, despite the challenges presented by the pandemic. TN/C/M/39  
 
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  Outcomes on these JSIs were needed now more than ever in light of the current global health and 
economic crisis brought about by the COVID -19 pandemic. T he Philippines was of the view that these 
JSIs were concrete tools to enable development outcomes at MC12 and  signal ed the capacity of the 
WTO to remain relevant in these challenging times. Members had to continue to build on the positive 
momentum generate d by the work in the months leading up to the summer break. As his delegation 
had noted in previous meetings, these JSIs and Members' ongoing work on the DDA c ould co-exist 
and even mutually complement each other.  
3.84.   Finally, on behalf of the delegation of th e Philippines, and the officials in capital, he express ed 
appreciation to the TNC Chair, DG Azevêdo. He had  personally born witness to the Chair's 
competence, integrity, and dedication to the WTO and to the multilateral trading system. He joined  
other  Amba ssadors past and present in expressing his gratitude for the Chairman 's principled 
leadership and friendship and  wished him  all the best in the next phase of his professional and 
personal life.  
3.85.   The representative of the United States thank ed the Chairman, GC Chair  Ambassador Walker, 
and the Secretariat team for successfully organizing and executing the candidate -presentation phase 
of the DG selection process.  There had been  a lot of moving parts covering travel and logistics, 
external and i nternal communications, building security, the health and safety of WTO Members and 
candidates, Member participation, and the imperative of giving the candidates a chance to make 
their respective cases in a fair, even -handed way.  The fact that things seeme d to go so smoothly, 
despite the present challenging environment, was a testament to the hard work and careful 
preparation that had gone on behind -the-scenes.  His delegation wished to express its appreciation 
for a job well done.  
3.86.   The representative of Hong Kong, China  said that his delegation  appreciate d the Secretariat 's 
diligence in facilitating Members ' ongoing work despite various technical and logistical challenges 
due to the impact of COVID -19 on Members'  operations.  
3.87.   While it remain ed difficult to pre dict how the pandemic w ould evolve, not only in Geneva but 
also in other parts of the world, at least one thing was certain: the path to economic recovery w ould 
be long and challenging. It had been  heard many times that international trade w ould be a pivot al 
driver for this recovery.  That is why Members had to  show that the multilateral trading system c ould 
live up to this expectation and Members could contribute to this in at least the following two ways.  
3.88.   First, Members had to press ahead with their prepar atory efforts for MC12, including the 
ongoing negotiations and discussions on the various J SIs. The uncertainties surrounding the 
arrangements for MC12 d id not mean that Members had  to put on hold the potential deliverables 
and the good progress that they had  achieved thus far. The pandemic ha d caused disruptions to 
delegations' normal work in some areas, but it ha d also revealed new opportunities in other areas. 
Members  needed to be creative and flexible in advancing their work so that they could  bring further 
benefits to international trade in a timely manner.  
3.89.   Second, Members had to continue to enhance the transparency of pandemic -related trade 
measures and ensure that the WTO exercise d its monitoring function effectively.  Transparent and 
efficient in formation -sharing was particularly important for businesses in times of crisis, but 
information alone was not enough when it came  to pandemic -related trade measures.  Members 
should work at all levels of the WTO to monitor the implementation of these measur es, both to 
ensure their consistency with WTO rules and to promote good practices in liberalising and facilitating 
trade.  His delegation was pleased to note that some WTO bodies were already doing substantive 
work in this regard.  Such efforts were fundamen tal in maintaining the rules -based multilateral 
trading system and enhancing its resilience in the face of the unprecedented challenge caused by 
the C OVID -19 pandemic.  
3.90.   The summer this year look ed more sombre than usual.  On the one hand, the organisation 
was reflecting on its needs for reform at a critical time when Members were selecting the next DG.  
On the other hand, Members were  under immense pressure to prepare for the road to recovery 
ahead.  It was incumbent on all Members  to work together in good fait h and demonstrate by concrete 
actions what contributions the WTO c ould make during these trying times.  TN/C/M/39  
 
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  3.91.   The representative of Nigeria  said that this TNC avail ed Members the opportunity to reflect 
on their engagements in the ongoing negotiations under respec tive configurations in recent years  
and a cknowledge and commend the Chair's  efforts and initiatives towards narrowing the gaps in 
Members divergent positions. He associated his delegation with the statements of the African Group 
and the ACP.  
3.92.   His delegation  believe d that  sustainable and inclusive development of the global economy was 
in the interest of all Members. It was therefore pertinent that Members  worked towards outcomes 
in the ongoing negotiations that were fair, balanced and equitable.  
3.93.   On agriculture, the disproportionate impact of COVID -19 on most African States  had further 
shed light on food security difficulties as well as related livelihood and extre me poverty issues 
experienced in the region. Even if Members  dismantle d all agriculture tariffs, this would still not 
address these issues , neither w ould it address the economic losses of resource  poor farmers 
occasioned by the inequities and imbalances of  the current rule especially under the domestic 
support pillar . This was adversely affecting the development of Nigeria's  agricultural  sector. In order 
for Nigeria  to achieve sustainable long-term food and livelihood security, his delegation  called on the 
Membership to prioritize mandated issues in the agriculture negotiations such as domestic support, 
especially the elimination of all AMS entitlements beyond de -minimis , PSH, SSM, and cotton.  
3.94.   On the fisheries subsidies negotiations, his delegation  believe d in the need to build trust and 
deliver on the mandate  from Ministers.  It welcome d the consolidated draft text prepared by the 
Chair of 25 June and would  continue to engage constructively to ensure Members  achieve d outcomes 
that were fair, balanced and equitable. Such outcomes in his delegation's  view should result in 
substantial r eduction of overfishing and unsustainable fishing practices and take into account the 
development needs of developing countries . 
3.95.   On TRIPS  issues , the COVID -19 pandemic had left no one in doubt about its ability to wipe 
out an entire population from the surface of the earth if it was not properly managed. It ha d also 
demonstrated that international collaboration and cooperation were essential in addressing glo bal 
challenges. It was therefore critical that Members  continue d to strengthen cooperation and 
partnership that ensure d timely and affordable access to medicines and technologies needed by 
countries to address health emergencies such as  COVID -19 without be ing impeded by agreements 
such as the TRIPS  Agreement . On the issue of non-violation and situation c omplaints under the 
TRIPS Agreement, his delegation would  continue its engagements with Members to achieve a 
decision that prohibit ed these  complaints under  the TRIPS Agreement or at the minimum, a decision 
on a permanent moratorium.  
3.96.   The representative of Australia  speaking on behalf of the co-convener s of the JSI on 
E-Commerce, Australia, Japan and Singapore , said that since her update to the General Council in 
May, the JSI ha d met twice on 11 June and 3 July. Participants had  discussed the impact of COVID -19 
and the role of e -commerce and digital trade in supporting the global economy during the crisis.  
3.97.   Participants had  agreed that the pandemic had further underlined the importance of their 
work to develop global rules on e -commerce and that they should, as quickly as practicable, fulfil 
their mandate to achieve a high standard outcome that buil t on existing WTO agreements with the 
participation of as many WTO Members as possible.  
3.98.   The JSI  had heard from participants and small groups that informal intersessional work had 
been continuing since the February negotiating round, and that proponents had  made some progress 
in finding elements of convergence in areas such as consumer protection, spam, electronic 
signatures, electronic authentication, trade facilitation, market access, cross border data flows, data 
localization  and source code. These partic ipants  had reported on their progress to the group to 
ensure transparency.  
3.99.   The JSI  had considered ways to enhance the participation of developing countries and LDCs 
in the initiative including practical assistance such as briefing sessions, circulation of  small group 
working documents and translation of negotiating texts. It had also facilitated further webinars with 
stakeholders designed to build understanding and promote dialogue in the areas of cybersecurity, 
cross-border data flows and the digital divi de.  TN/C/M/39  
 
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  3.100.   The JSI would meet again on 27 July to hear further reports from participants on their work 
and set a schedule of meetings for the remainder of the year. Participants had  agreed to develop a 
consolidated negotiating text by the end of th e year, and a "stock take  text" to be circulated in 
August. The e -commerce JSI remain ed open, transparent and inclusive . Meetings were open to all 
WTO Members and papers were available on the WTO portal.  
3.101.   Speaking on behalf of Australia , she said that the COVID -19 pande mic ha d challenged 
international trade unlike any other crisis faced in the history of the WTO, with international trade 
falling by an estimated 18.5  per cent  in the second quarter of this year. Members had to  do what 
they could  to halt this decline and re -establish trade as a driver of economic recovery.  
3.102.   The WTO, and all Members which form ed it, ha d the opportunity to establish a pathway to 
economic recovery based on shared beliefs in open markets, and facilitated by a strength ened global 
trading system. For Australia, this pathway ha d commenced with valuable monitoring and 
transparency work which w ould allow Members  to monitor the roll -back of COVID -related trade 
distorting measures. This monitoring work need ed to continue and  be refined over time. Australia 
and other Members ha d put forward ideas for improving transparency of agriculture related COVID 
measures in their COVID -19: Protecting Global Food Security Initiative and  would  be turning this 
initiative into concrete action s in the following  weeks.  
3.103.   Australia ha d also been an active participant in efforts to improve the free flow of trade in 
health products and minimize  the impacts agricultural export restrictions might  have on global food 
security.  
3.104.   Broader reform was also important in maintaining a healthy organization  equipped to handle 
future crises. Australia would  continue to focus on enhancing transparency and promoting the proper 
functioning of the dispute settlement system. The dispute settlement system  and A B had pl ayed a 
critical role in upholding multilateral trading rules. Members had to  reflect constructively on its 
operation over the past two decades and focus on how they could  ensure it deliver ed the key 
objectives Members  collectively ascribed to it.  
3.105.   Building  a solid economic recovery and  restoring confidence in the WTO system require d 
Members to achieve outcomes at, if not before, MC12. Only through ongoing trade reform c ould 
Members build a more resilient global trading system  
3.106.   The draft consolidated text Ambassador Wills ' had shared brought Members  one step closer 
to a meaningful outcome on fisheries subsidies . Australia was committed to a comprehensive 
agreement by the end of th e year. Now was the time for all Members to have the difficu lt 
conversations, and craft the right solutions, to bring these negotiations to conclusion.  
3.107.   Agricultural  trade reform remain ed critical to safeguarding global food security. This was 
why Australia remain ed committed to outcomes at MC12 on agriculture, par ticularly to reduce the 
excessive entitlements Members ha d to harmful trade distorting agricultural subsidies.  
3.108.   Agreement to extend the e -commerce and TRIPs moratoria were a priority for MC12. The 
e-commerce moratorium  was a critical part of the global tra ding system. Abandoning it would 
encourage restrictions on digital trade, which was the last thing Members  needed as they looked to 
restore the global economy.  
3.109.   Australia actively support ed all the JSIs and consider ed them a promising area for outcomes 
at MC12. Services Domestic Regulation  was ripe for an outcome, which was now more important 
than ever as Members look ed towards economic recovery. Participants were  also well placed to 
achieve substantial progress on e -commerce by MC12. E -commerce ha d been an economic lifeline 
throughout the COVID -19 crisis and  would play a crucial role in the global economic recovery – the 
need for global rules governing e -commerce had never been clearer. Australia also welcome d 
continued progress on investment facilitation for development and MSMEs in stabilizing  texts for 
MC12.  
3.110.   Through these actions on monitoring, transparency, reform, and in the negotiations, 
Australia was commit ted to rebuilding the global economy based on a strengthened global trading 
system . TN/C/M/39  
 
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  3.111.   The representative of Ecuador  said that her delegation was ever committed to the 
negotiations  and had been actively involved in the negotiations on fisheries and agricultur e as well 
as the JSIs for quite some time.  Ecuador welcomed  the possibilities that the virtual platform offer ed 
for capital -based officials to participate because often they d id not have the financial resources to 
travel to Genev a. On fisheries subsidies her delegation thanked  the Chair  for his  efforts to present 
a consolidated text.  It was  ready to help strengthen the text and work with the Membership as a 
priority so that Members could  move forward those negotiations.  Regarding the  agriculture 
negotiations , her delegation welcome d the election of the Ambassador of Costa Rica as the COA -SS 
Chair which would be  formalised later that afternoon . Her delegation was confident that she w ould 
give the discussions the impetus need ed for Memb ers to arrive at MC12 with a significant package.   
3.112.   Her delegation would  also be constructively involved in the selection process for the new DG  
so that Members could achieve their common goal of ensuring that the successor carr ied the 
organization forward as quickly as possible.  Her delegation  thank ed Members for their flexibility and 
openness in ensuring that that process was as smooth as possible . Finally , she echoed the call  for 
an end to the stalemate in appointing new  AB members so that in line with Members'  rights they 
had the ability to have appeals heard on dispute settlement at the WTO.  In the next few weeks her 
delegation would  welcome a new Permanent Representative which would  lead to even more involved 
participation by her country at the WTO.   
3.113.   The representative of China  commended the Secretariat 's efforts  in addressing COVID -19 
related issues, including keeping monitoring Members ' trade policies and enhanc ing transparency. 
China note d relevant proposals tabled by Members since the last meeting and said that some of  
them deserved  further discussions.  
3.114.   Nevertheless, China was  concerned with the attempt of some Members to arbitrarily 
fragment global supply chain s, aiming to reali ze self -sufficiency. China support ed an open, 
transparent and smooth international trading environment, especially for essential goods and 
services, towards a healthy recovery during and after the pandemic.  
3.115.   He highlighted that the MPIA, led by EU and joined by 21 other  Members, was an interim 
stop-gap mechanism rather than a replacement to the A B. Its primary objective was to preserve the 
binding nature of the WTO dispute settlement system and secure the appeal right of particip ating 
Members. Participants still expect ed to restore the A B as soon as possible  and look ed forward to the 
meaningful and constructive engagement of all Members.  
3.116.   On negotiating issues , China applaud ed Ambassador Wills for putting forward a draft 
consolida ted text of disciplines on fisheries subsidies , in anticipation of the text -based phase of the 
negotiations, which  had showed to the world that one of the WTO's  most important multilateral 
trading negotiations was back. His delegation would  share its specific comments the next day . But 
on the whole, China support ed the Chair's work in intensifying negotiations after  the summer break, 
with a view to completing Members'  mandate hopefully by the end of th e year.  
3.117.   China welcome d the new agriculture  Chair, Ambassador Peralta, and hope d this would  
energize the long -standing agriculture negotiations. China w ould support her work in the lead up to 
MC12 and beyond.  
3.118.   On investment facilitation, China was  pleased to see discussions on a consolidated text 
gaining further momentum. Due to the  pandemic, the United Nations Conference on Trade and 
Development ( UNCTAD ) had  anticipate d global foreign direct investment ( FDI) to decline by 30  to 
40% from 2020 to 2021, the steepest fall seen in decades. In order to offset th e downfall and help 
with economic recovery, efforts to facilitate investment were more important. China commend ed 
Ambassador F rancke for his leadership and coordination and proposing the work plan for the second 
half of the year and  expect ed more Members t o join these  discussions in the coming months.  
3.119.   In conclusion, and for the record, China 's position on issues like market practices, industrial 
subsidies and developing country status, remain ed unchanged.  
3.120.   The representative of Botswana  speaking on behalf of the African Group  said that the report 
of the Chairman and those of the  Chairs of the Negotiating Group had assert ed the urgency for 
inclusive and creative collaboration to reinvigorate the negotiations.  TN/C/M/39  
 
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  3.121.   The Group  welcome d the convening of this T NC, the first after the lockdown due to the 
COVID -19 pandemic. It was important to enhance the work of the TNC so that it respond ed to the 
existential challenges that Members  faced. The current crisis had continue d to evolve and advance 
in Africa; its heal th, economic, financial and social impact were unprecedented.   
3.122.   COVID -19 ha d had a disproportionate impact on the African continent owing to its structural 
vulnerabilities, and overdependence on imports of essential goods to address the global health crisis. 
The pandemic therefore threaten ed to reverse some of the hard -earned development gains in Africa.  
3.123.   It was for these reasons that the African G roup ha d raised its concerns on the COVID -19 
impact and  had outlined them in document WT/GC/219 and TN/C/20. With its submission, the Group  
wished to further the discussions on the COVID -19 impact and the requisite trade policy tools. For 
Africa, it was indispensable to build capacities and resilience to crises – now and in the future.  
3.124.   The WTO ha d an instrumental role to play in ensuring that patents and other intellectual 
property d id not unfairly stand in the way of achieving critical public health objec tives.  This call ed 
for solidarity and close cooperation among Members to ensure affordable access, and on reasonable 
terms, to medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and medical equipment. Accessibility of technologies to 
produce these resources, particular ly for Members with limited or no productive capacities in the 
pharmaceutical area was essential to fight the COVID -19 pandemic effectively.  
3.125.   On an additional note, the Group reaffirm ed that non-violation and situation complaints 
should not be subjected to dispu te settlement and undermine Members ' rights to regulate in the 
public interest.  
3.126.   The Group welcome d the consolidated draft text prepared by the NGR Chair which had been  
previously presented to Members  on 25 June. The Group was  ready to engage in further discussions 
on th e text reflecting its positions, with a view to arriv ing at an outcome that was balanced, 
enforceable, effective and at the same time providing the needed policy space and S&DT to 
developing and least developed Members.  The Group would share its initial views on both the draft 
Chair's text and organisation of work after the summer break at the NGR the following day.   
3.127.   The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO 's) June update on "COVID 19 and its impact on 
food se curity and nutrition " had estimated that as m any as 80.3 million people could become hungry 
owing to economic growth decline resulting from the pandemic. This highlight ed that the present 
challenge was not only limited to the availability of food but also accessibility . 
3.128.   Therefore, while the Group appreciate d recent initiatives or efforts to keep agricultural supply 
chains open amid the pandemic, the analysis by FAO show ed once again the priority of ensuring 
food security. Beyond ensuring food supply or avai lability, it was necessary to enable the poor and 
marginalized sections of populations – including small scale farmers – to access food. This 
underscore d the importance of the Group 's priorities in  the agriculture negotiations, namely domestic 
support, PSH , SSM and cotton, in achieving long term sustainable food security. The Group  looked 
forward to deepening discussions on these issues under the leadership of the new COA -SS Chair.  
3.129.   The African Group support ed progressing work on cotton , on the basis of proposals tabled 
in documents TN/AG/GEN/49/Rev.1 and TN/AG/SCC/GEN/20/Rev.1, especially as they relate d to 
the trade  component  - primarily domestic support. It was also important to give focus to mobilizing 
resources needed to implement p rojects and programmes that aim ed to improve performance, local 
transformation, and strengthen integration into the cotton value chains, in line with the Ministerial 
Decisions in Bali and Nairobi in documents (WT/MIN (13)/41) and Nairobi 2015 (WT/MIN(15)/4 6), 
respectively.  
3.130.   The African Group welcome d the proposal to convene a CTD -SS meeting to continue 
discussions on the basis of the written questions and answers to the updated G -90 proposal in 
document JOB/DEV/60; JOB/TNC/79 and in document JOB/DEV/61 respe ctively. To this end, a work 
programme to discuss the various elements of S&DT had to  be agreed as Members  move d towards 
MC12. The strengthening of S&DT was indispensable in promoting inclusive growth, addressing 
strategic vulnerabilities and the recovery of developing countries from the COVID -19 crisis. 
Therefore, for MC12 to be successful, Members had to  make sure that  the development deficit was 
tackled, and that development was at the centre of its outcome(s).  TN/C/M/39  
 
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  3.131.   The African Group look ed forward to progres sing discussions on all these issues in a focused 
manner, subject to the evolution of the COVID -19 pandemic and the ability of capitals to provide 
technical guidance and political oversight to the negotiations. It was instructive to note that t he 
realities  imposed by COVID -19 ha d thus far limited the Group's  ability to prepare, coordinate and 
engage particularly for the fisheries negotiations.  
3.132.   The representative of Switzerland  said that as the Chairman had  underscored in his opening 
statement, COVID -19 would have a profound and lasting effect on the work of the WTO. The global 
health crisis ha d caused a devastating human tragedy. Now more than ever, it was time for the 
international community to step up cooperation and coordi nation.  
3.133.   The WTO had a crucial role to play in ensuring the continued flow of vital medical supplies 
and other essential goods and services across borders. It was important to ensure that supply chains 
remained operational and effective. Concrete action fro m the WTO could contribute to this goal, 
particularly through best practices, simplified procedures and effective monitoring of export 
restrictions. Moreover, his delegation appreciated the EU's initiative on health and trade and intended 
to actively parti cipate in the work to be undertaken in this area.  
3.134.   Members were facing a global economic shock that called for a coordinated international 
response. The WTO could and had to make a fundamental contribution to the economic recovery, 
which his delegation hope d would be sustainable and widespread.  
3.135.   A predictable, transparent and open trading system needed to be preserved, as it was 
essential for creating the climate of trust that investors required to take action and create jobs.  In 
addition, the best possible u se had to be made of WTO structures and bodies, with a view to 
strengthening cooperation between Members and definitively settling trade disputes on the basis of 
the applicable international law.  
3.136.   The negotiations on fisheries subsidies had to be successful ly concluded within the prescribed 
timeframes and tangible progress made at MC12, including on issues addressed by the JSIs. His 
delegation also hoped that the customs moratorium on e -commerce would be extended at MC12. 
Lastly, WTO rules would need to be a dapted to reflect contemporary economic realities. This was an 
ambitious project that, in the eyes of his delegation, remained within reach. Clearly, Members would 
need a DG to guide them in this endeavour and it was important, that Members appointed the 
Chairman's successor as soon as possible.  
3.137.   The representative of Fiji speaking on behalf of the Pacific Group  aligned the Group's views  
with the statements  of the ACP and the LDC groups.   
3.138.   On fisheries subsidies , the Pacific Group commend ed the NGR Chair for his draft consolidated 
text on the Fisheries Subsidies Agreement that had been presented to Members on 25 June.  The 
Group also  thank ed the facilitators  who had been a ssisting Members to advance the negotiations 
and prepare draft texts on the disciplines.  The Group would  respond to the Chair at the HODs the 
next day . However, much work remain ed, to agree on approaches and resolve the many technical 
issues, as well as the cross -cutting issues which ha d been less advanced, in the little time left , if the 
negotiation was to be concluded in December 2020.   
3.139.   At the March TNC, the Group had stated that the two sectors that form ed the backbone of 
their economies were tourism and fisheries.  As had been  learnt from  the COVID -19 pandemic , 
tourism was an ex tremely fragile sector, highly susceptible to international economic and other 
shocks like th e pandemic . The tourism industry in the Pacific  region ha d been significantly impacted.  
Fisheries was therefore the only productive sector that many Island States were turning to and w ould 
depend on in  the future. Since 2015 , fisheries had  remain ed a priority of the Pacific Islands Forum 
leaders and was also part of the Blue Pacific adopted by leaders in 2017.   
3.140.   The Pacific Group ha d therefore always underlined the v ital importance of the fisheries sector 
to its economies - in providing food and livelihood security and economic opportunities.  Stock 
assessments for the Pacific in 2018 had indicated that all commercial tuna stocks were in good 
health.   However, most of the Members of the Group d id not have the capacity to fish because they 
did not have fishing fleets.   TN/C/M/39  
 
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  3.141.   Therefore, as small island states whose EEZs were much bigger than the size of their lands, 
the fisheries subsides agreement should not repeat the distortions in the agriculture agreement and 
prevent small countries like theirs  from exploiting their fisheries resources and diversifying their 
economies.  In addition, Members like them that were managing their fisheries resources well, should 
not be made to pay for the problems of overfishing caused by the heavy subsidies of others.   
3.142.   There ha d to be some proportionality, ensuring that the Agreement target ed those that were 
causing over -fishing , and that appropriate policy space was given to developing Members, especially, 
small island states that ha d little, to no capacity,  at present. This would be in line with fulfilling the 
two dimensions of the SDG 14.6 and MC11 mandates – namely, strong di sciplines for harmful 
subsidies and appropriate and effective S&DT for developing countries.  This would also ensure that 
the SDG 14.6 deliver ed on the SDG 14.7 which was to support fisheries development in small island 
developing states and LDCs. The Pacific Group remain ed committed to working with Members to 
deliver a meaningful agreement on fisheries subsidies.   
3.143.   On agriculture , the Group continue d to support discussions on reduction of TDDS  and finding 
solutions to PSH and the SSM . COVID -19 had exposed th e vulnerability of import -dependent 
countries like those in the  Group to the trade and import restrictions imposed by trading partners.  
3.144.   On development issues , the Pacific Group urge d Members for constructive discussions on 
the G -90 proposals particularly those that support ed economic diversification and industrialisation 
and the situation of LDCs.   
3.145.   The Pacific Group renew ed its commitment to the open rules based multilateral trading 
system and would  work with Members to advance work in other areas such as e-commerce in the 
WTO.  
3.146.   The representative of Costa Rica  speaking as coordinator of  the JSI on Services Domestic 
Regulation  said that s ince his last report in May, the Joint Initiative had held two open -ended 
meetings, at which participating Members ha d reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the 
negotiations; and many had emphasized that a concrete outcome on services domestic regulation 
would give an important boost to services trade and contribute to post -COVID recovery.  
3.147.   In early July, the Republic of Mauritius had joined the Initiative, and submitted an indicative 
draft schedule, in which it was proposing to incorporate the Reference Paper on  Domestic Regulation 
into its GATS Schedule. The Initiative now count ed 62 participants, and 55 of them ha d circulated 
their indicative draft schedules, demonstrating their commitment to a legally binding outcome.  
3.148.   At the last meeting on 9 July, the Initia tive had resumed text -based negotiations, with a 
high level of engagement of delegations. He believe d that there was a shared  interest and  desire to 
consolidate the progress made in the first half of 2020 into a new draft of the Reference Paper. 
Intersessi onal consultations were ongoing, in advance of the next meeting scheduled for 29 July, in 
order to work towards this goal.   
3.149.   The Initiative's commitment was to keep the process open, inclusive, and transparent, 
especially under the current circumstances. Its objective was to deliver an outcome consistent with 
WTO law and procedures, which w ould contribute to further facilitating services trade and promoting 
economic growth and development.  
3.150.   In conclusion , he invite d all Members not part of this process to engage actively in the 
discussions and consider joining the Joint Initiative on Services Do mestic Regulation.  
3.151.   The representative of Panama  speaking on behalf of Article XII Members  thank ed DG 
Azevedo for his contributions to th e organization, which  had include d the accession of many in their 
Group .  
3.152.   As the Group had  said in the past , it expect ed that current negotiations should result in 
leveling the imbalances that ha d accumulated in Members commitments with each new accession. 
The Group did  not seek to backtrack on commitments its members had  undertook on accession at 
the request of Members tha t enjoy ed significantly higher levels of entitlements and flexibilities. TN/C/M/39  
 
- 22 - 
 
  However, t o reach a level playing field, all those who currently enjoy ed these higher levels of 
entitlements and flexibilities w ould have to make more significant adjustments.  
3.153.   The Gr oup remind ed Members that while large gaps remain ed in agriculture domestic 
support and market access commitments, the built -in agenda was not limited to agriculture . While 
there ha d not been much activity in the non-agricultural market access ( NAMA ) negotiations,  the 
Group  reiterate d that wide gaps remain ed in the average bound tariff levels and coverage levels of 
the Article XII Members and those of original Members. This was also evident in services , where 
Article XII Members ha d undertaken more co mmitments in every sub -sector in comparison to 
original Members. The Group expect ed that ongoing negotiations would lead to closing these gaps 
and it wished to see significant progress by MC12.   
3.154.   The Group  expressed its  continued  support  to the  ongoing disc ussions on WTO reform in 
transparency and inclusion. This include d ensuring  that all Members ha d equal access to WTO 
meetings through flexible formats during these uncertain times , as well as i mproving compliance 
and the quality of notifications would allo w Members  to have a  more reliable measure of the  current  
state of play in negotiations towards MC12.  
3.155.   Lastly, the Group reiterate d its support to ongoing accessions and hope d that Members could  
see new Members join the WTO by MC12 in Kazakhstan, the first o ne to be hosted by an Article XII 
Member.  
3.156.   The Group wished the DG the best in his future endeavors and said that that it was ready  to 
work with other Members towards achieving incremental, balanced, and meaningful results for 
MC12.  
3.157.   The representative of Mexico  started by expressing his delegation's sympathy to those who 
had suffered the loss of someone close to them due to the healt h crisis caused by COVID -19. This 
was a crisis that had resulted in human losses throughout the world.  
3.158.   He wished to emphasize that, in his delegation's view, the current crisis had taught a number 
of lessons that should not be underestimated, including how  fragile all economies could be and that 
all Members could only move forward through cooperation and understanding. These key ingredients 
to Members' discussions had unfortunately, been notably absent in recent years . The importance of 
electronic media in Members' lives, as  well as  the extent to which they could support international 
trade flows, especially in helping MSMEs access international markets, was undeniable.  Members 
there fore had to step up efforts to ensure that the discussions on the JSI on e -commerce reached a 
successful conclusion, and his delegation was sure that, under the leadership of the co -sponsors, 
Members would succeed.  Members also had to support the work being carried out under the initiative 
on MSMEs, which was seeking greater integ ration into the global economy through the use of best 
practices.  
3.159.   During lockdown, in the absence of human activity around the world, nature had had a 
chance to breathe and, in some cases, had managed to flourish again. There were more than a few 
images of  beaches with clear waters or sightings of animals whose numbers had been thought to be 
scarce. This showed that reducing or eliminating harmful human presence in Members' ecosystems 
was a matter of urgency. There was therefore an urgent and palpable need to reach an agreement 
on fisheries subsidies, now more than ever. It was the most important contribution that the WTO 
could, and should, make to ensure the sustainability of Members' resources. In this connection, his 
delegation welcomed the fact that meet ings had finally resumed and that the next day, Members 
would discuss Ambassador Wills' draft consolidated document. This was an important step, moving 
Members back in the right direction and revitalizing their discussions.  
3.160.   However, all of this had to be a ccompanied by a legal framework that could guarantee trade 
actors that existing and future rules would be fully respected. At present, unfortunately, Members 
did not have the second instance of the dispute settlement system that had been agreed by all. In 
light of this, and faced with the paralysis of the AB, 22 Members, including Mexico, had opted for a 
temporary mechanism to enable their exporters and importers to raise their concerns until there 
was a second instance of dispute settlement. This did not i n any way mean that they would stop 
pushing for the AB to become functional again, as they had been doing for almost two years. This 
had been, and would continue to be, their priority.  TN/C/M/39  
 
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  3.161.   The representative of Japan  appreciate d that under th e difficult situat ion, the Chairman had 
convened th e present  meeting. He expressed appreciation  to the Secretariat  for its efforts in keeping 
the WTO working. While the situation ha d improved in Geneva to the extent that Members could  
now attend meetings in  person, the worl d was still in the midst of the COVID -19 crisis. His delegation  
appreciate d the swift responses by the Secretariat under the leadership of DG Azevêdo and 
commend ed its monitoring efforts, including the recently published trade monitoring report. To 
improve  transparency, his delegation also  called upon Members to make necessary notifications as 
soon as possible.  
3.162.   Japan appreciate d that discussions on COVID -19 trade related measures were taking place 
in relevant WTO bodies. It had not introduced any export or import restrictive measures and  urged 
Members to lift trade restrictive measures as soon as they were no longer necessary. It believe d 
that relevant WTO bodies should continue to review COVID -19 related measures and discuss 
pertinent issues, including the clarification of relevant disciplines, particularly Article XI of the GATT. 
This w ould also serve as a foundation for the WTO to better respond when another crisis hit in the 
future.  
3.163.   His delegation  welcome d the gradual reopen ing of WTO meetings since June. It particularly 
welcome d the resumption of the fisheries subsidies negotiation s and the release of the draft 
consolidated text by the Chair, Ambassador W ills, which his delegation  looked forward to discussing 
the following d ay. On the agriculture negotiations, Japan stresse d the importance of disciplines on 
export restrictions, whose significant importance to world trade ha d been underlined by the COVID -
19 crisis. It hoped to discuss this issue further under the  leadership of  the new Chair of COA -SS, 
Ambassador P eralta  of Costa Rica.  
3.164.   With respect to the WTO dispute settlement system, Japan stresse d the importance of 
continuously discussing ways and means to restore its proper functioning and  it would  continue to 
contribute to this end. It looked forward to working with Ambassador C astillo , the Chair of D ispute 
Settlement Body (D SB).  
3.165.   His delegation  welcome d the active discussions and the progress made in the JSIs. Regarding  
e-commerce, Members had to accelerate the negotiations, aiming for the development of a 
consolidated negotiating text by the end of the year. In this connection, the webinar and the 
open-ended meeting on the e-commerce moratorium the previous  week had been  useful in 
deepening Member s' understanding, which his delegation  hoped would  lead to the extension of the 
moratorium at MC12.  
3.166.   Regarding the JSI on investment facilitation, Japan remain ed committed to actively 
contributing to the discussion through its proposals. On domestic regula tion, it was important to 
continue negotiations to finalize the draft reference paper and have outreach efforts to achieve 
critical mass.  
3.167.   Ensuring a level playing field was essential both during and after the economic recovery 
process from the COVID -19 crisis. Japan w ould continue to engage with other Members on this issue, 
especially on strengthening international rules on industrial subsidies.  
3.168.   The representative of Uruguay  speaking as coordinator of the Informal Working Group on 
MSME s said that t he MSME Group ha d continued to be active during these challenging times . On 
26 May, a joint statement on highlighting the importance of MSMEs in the time of COVID -19 had 
been issued (WT/GC/215/Rev.1). He thank ed all WTO Members who had sponsore d this statement, 
in particular those who were not part of the MSME Group. This was proof of the importance attached 
by WTO Members to the MSME s cause.  
3.169.    MSMEs were unfortunately hit severely by the current crisis. This had been  confirmed by 
the two webinar s that the Group had organized on 26 June for MSME day. These webinars  had 
provided an overview of actions taken to support MSMEs and  had discussed approaches followed by 
governments to support their MSMEs in this time of crisis. He thank ed the European Co mmission 
and the governments of Côte d' Ivoire and the Philippines for having shared useful insights into the 
challenges faced by their MSMEs and measures they had  taken to accompany them in these difficult 
times. Other webinars organized recently include d: on cross -border payments and paperless trade 
organized jointly with the International Chamber of Commerce  (ICC)  on 17 June and 18 June TN/C/M/39  
 
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  respectively, and on supporting small business resilience through digital tools organized with the 
Global Innovation Forum on 1 July. All presentations and recordings ha d been uploaded on the Small 
Business and Trade page of the WTO website.  
3.170.    Members of the Group ha d also held informal small group and bilateral discussions to 
finetune the texts that w ould form part of the Group's  ministerial package. Good progress ha d been 
made on many of these texts  and o thers require d further work.  The next Group meeting was planned 
for 24 July to review the texts and discuss next steps.  The Gro up's objective  was to finalize the 
package soon after the summer break.   
3.171.   The Group had also been working on mapping measures taken by governments to help 
MSMEs weather the current crisis. It was  still working on this consolidation in cooperation with the 
WTO trade monitoring team.  The current crisis  had shown that MSMEs need ed help, now more than 
ever. For the multilateral trading system , this might  imply embracing new concepts, new fields of 
work and new partnerships. He invited all Members  to join the work of the MSME Group.  
3.172.    The representative of  the Republic of Korea  said that coming  into the year 2020, she had 
been looking forward to the celebra tion of WTO’s  silver jubilee at MC12 . She had  had hopes for 
fruitful results on important areas of negotiations such as fisheries subsidies, e -commerce, and 
services domestic  regulation  where Members would  have joined heads together in a room for a grand 
compromise. The story of th e year so far could not be more different. COVID -19 had impacted every 
corner of Members'  lives. Substantial discussions  in the WTO had been  stalled and meetings had 
been suspended.  While there were  less than six months left before the end of th e year, she urged 
colleagues to join her in seeing the glass as half full, not half empty. She would  touch upon some of 
the major topics of negotiations where Members needed to work constructively for positive progress.  
3.173.   First, Members need ed to make concerted efforts to deliver a tangible outcome in fisheries 
subsidies by the end of th e year. Korea welcome d the initiative by the NGR Chair to produce a 
consolidated text and to resume negotiations starting in the  fall. Korea expect ed a rigorous work 
program that w ould hopefully lead to a positive result. In this process, she believe d that Members 
should make the best use of the hybrid method where virtual participation by capital experts and 
physical participation from Geneva could work as a double impetus.  
3.174.   Second, e -commerce ha d been gaining more and more limelight,  bringing fresh attention to 
rapid digitalization of trade and investments  especially in the context of the COVID -19 pandemic  
situation. Contact -driven transaction s that traditionally had been at the center of trade were now 
giving way to contact -less and digital -driven methods.  This trend was not going to be  retracted  and 
it underline d the central role of global e -commerce. She had been  encouraged by recent progres s in 
the negotiations and Korea was committed to making greater contribution going forward. Korea also 
appreciate d the recent workshop on the moratorium of customs duties and reiterate d its position of 
permanent extension of the moratorium.  
3.175.   Third, negotiations on services domestic regulation ha d made significant progress and the 
goal of reaching a final outcome seem ed closer than ever. Korea ha d high hopes that participants 
could  achiev e this by the end of th e year. Thanks to a strong coalition of 62 Members, a foundation 
had been formed for a reasonable and transparent discipline creating a favorable environment for 
services  trade. Korea was ready to make its efforts in this regard and actively reach out to other 
Members.  
3.176.   The f irst half of 2020 had been  an extraordinary period. COVID -19 ha d tested Members'  
commitment for global cooperation which  had proved to be strong and persistent. In the second half 
of the year, she hoped that Member s could  all work together to create more  concrete outcome s and 
rebuild  trust for the rules -based multilateral trading system.  
3.177.   The representative of St Lucia  speaking on behalf of Caribbean Community (CARICOM ) 
Group  associate d the Group  with the statement delivered the ACP Group.  
3.178.   With respect to  the fisheries subsidies negotiations , the Group commend ed Ambassador Wills 
for his dedication and leadership in ensuring that the discussions remained active considering the 
restrictions imposed  by the pandemic. While the draft consolidated text was still being reviewed in 
their respective capitals, the Group wished  to reaffirm its commitment to a timely outcome on TN/C/M/39  
 
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  fisheries subsidies in keeping with the ministerial mandate and SDG 14.6. The CARI COM Community 
was prepared to do its part to take the process forward  and called on the Secretariat to be sensitive 
to the realities of their capitals at this time.  
3.179.   Agriculture continue d to be a major component of food security in the Caribbean . The 
disrup tions in both food production and supply chains as well as the imposition of export restrictions 
during this pandemic, serve d as a poignant reminder that they were  more susceptible to external 
food market shocks than most, particularly given that they were  net food importers. This 
notwithstanding, the Caribbean Community also recognize d that exports were essential to income -
earning opportunities and therefore their region ha d identified agriculture as one of the key drivers 
for their export diversification programmes. It was in this connection, that the Group  remain ed 
committed to the reforms envisaged by Article 20 of the Agreement on Agriculture.  
3.180.   These reforms had to better reflect the heterogeneity of the Membership by addressing the 
existing imbalances in the Agreement, particularly with respect to the domestic support pillar. Most 
critical for the Group , was an outcome that offer ed them appropriate and effective S&DT. Any 
modification to the rules had to afford them enhanced flex ibilities and adequate policy space to 
facilitate the development, participation and more meaningfully integration of their agricultural 
sector into global trading; and  sufficiently simplify transparency and notification requirements 
insofar as they took into account their technical and financial capacity constraints.   
3.181.   On services , the Group  understood  that the draft Reference Paper was stable, and most 
participants d id not foresee an eventuality that could stall progress towards a consensus. While 
CARICOM no longer ha d a realistic option to influence the Reference Paper in terms of content, 
architecture and process, it continue d to have a systemic interest in any negotiations on domestic 
regulation. While no CARICOM Member State ha d joined the process, the Group  encourage d 
participants to engage in further outreach to non -Members and to use MC12 as the appropriate 
platform to present their outcome to Ministers. The Group also commend ed the Chair, Ambassador 
Tan Hung Seng (Singapore) for the recent convening of the Council for Trade in Services  (CTS) . The 
Committee on Specific Commitments chaired by Mr. Toshihide Aotake (Japan) and the Committee 
on Trade in Financial Services chaired by Mr. Seo -jin Yang ( the Republic of  Korea) had also met 
recently. The Group encourage d more of these meetings to ensure that momentum return ed to 
Members'  work in the context of the GATS and the wider multilateral agenda.  
3.182.   On investment facilitation for development , the Group individually and collectively accept ed 
that facilitating investment and facilitating good investment governance c ould be beneficial, 
particularly given that they were  net capital importing countries. The Group impress ed on 
participants that market access and investor -state dispute settlement should be kept out of this 
process. It also  impress ed on participants that matters relating to S&DT, technical assistance and 
capacity building remain ed of critical interest to its Members. The Group would  continue to monitor 
these discussions and i nvited participants to continue to make the process open and transparent to 
all Members.  
3.183.   Regarding e-commerce,  the Group commend ed efforts to reinvigorate the Work Programme 
on E- Commerce in keeping with the December 2019 General Council Decision. The pandemic ha d 
provided compelling evidence of the increasingly vast divide between those Members equipped to 
leverage the benefits of the digital economy  and those lacking the wherewit hal to do so. In addition, 
the WTO webinar on the moratorium and the Informal Open -Ended Meeting of the Work Programme 
had benefited from reflections in the previous  months, in both multilateral and plurilateral contexts, 
on such topics as the digital divi de, trade and cybersecurity and digital tools for MSMEs. In this 
regard, it was fitting to acknowledge the recent invitation by the co -conveners of the e -commerce 
JSI for developing countries to identify specific actions that could be taken to enhance their 
participation in this plurilateral initiative.  
3.184.    On the moratorium specifically, their latest interactions ha d underscored that it would be 
difficult to advance discussions without greater clarity and a common understanding  on scope, 
definition and impact . The CARICOM Group was keen for structured discussions under the Work 
Programme to resume in the fall, in a concerted effort to continue to address all trade -related aspects 
brought forward by Members, including those of particular interest to developing Members.  TN/C/M/39  
 
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  3.185.   Finally, on reform – the Group  noted that much focus was now directed to developments 
outside of the WTO related to the DSB. The Group  remain ed committed to the restoration of the 
functioning of the A B in line with the spirit of DSU Article 17. While the Group acknowledge d the 
need for updating of the rules, any changes had to  respond to the developmental needs of developing 
countries.  
3.186.   For CARICOM , the constant threat of natural disasters brought about by climate change 
complicate d its development path, for that reason, it was vital for the multilateral system to provide 
equitable rules that respond ed to the unique and specific concerns of small and vulnerable  
economies.  
3.187.   The representative of Singapore  began his statement with a soccer story, inspired by the 
fact that his favourite team , Liverpool, had won the Premier League Championship after three  
decades. He said that s ome years ago, author Nicky Gumbel had been called upon to act as the 
substitute referee for a football  match. But there had been  a problem. He did not know the rules 
well, and the game soon descended into chaos. Some players shouted that the ball was in, others 
said that it was out. Some cried "foul", others said, "no foul ". Then people began to get hurt. The 
referee arrived in time to replace Nicky and  saved the game. The referee had been able to tell the 
players to abide by the boundaries and the rules. As a result, the players had been able to enjoy a 
great game of football. Reflecting on his experience,  Nicky had observed that when the game was 
played according to the rules, the players were free to enjoy the game. However, when playing 
without the rules, the players were less free. He drew three learning points from this story.  
3.188.   First, WTO rules serve d an important role, whic h was to enable all Members to maximise the 
benefits of the global trading system. This was because the rules create d a predictable, conducive 
and safe environment for all players. This was all the more important during this unprecede nted 
time of the COVID -19 pandemic, which ha d injected much uncertainty to governments, businesses 
and peop le. As such, WTO rules should not be seen as a hindrance, but as an enabling factor that 
helped foster economic growth and sustainable development . In this context, Members should not 
lose sight of the 2020 deadline mandated by the UN SDGs  to conclude negotiations on fisheries 
subsidies disciplines, which were essential for protecting the health of oceans and the world 's fish 
stocks. Members had a con solidated text from the Chair to use as the basis of negotiations and 
should  accelerate the pace of work to deliver an outcome. Similarly, the work of the JSI on  E-
Commer ce was critical in establishing rules for the digital economy and  had assumed even gre ater 
significance now that the pandemic ha d reinforced how digitalisation ha d permeated every aspect of 
daily lives. Hence, it was imperative and urgent that Members establish ed rules to govern digital 
trade and provide greater certainty to allow businesse s, especially MSMEs, to become more vibrant 
and sustainable.   
3.189.   Second, when there was an agreed set of rules, all Members had to comply with these rules. 
A football match would descend into chaos if players only abided by their preferred rules of the  
game. Similarly, WTO Members c ould not pick and choose which rules they wish ed to comply with. 
Unfortunately, even before the COVID -19 pandemic, some Members had not been complying with 
their notification obligations, disregarding rules, and taking unilateral ac tions. That said, his 
delegation  acknowledge d that rule books were not set in stone. To improve the game and the safety 
of the players, football rules ha d been adjusted and updated over the years. Similarly, if Members 
had serious challenges complying with  specific WTO rules, they should have frank exchanges to 
discuss these problems and find solutions.  
3.190.   Third, Members had to have a healthy dispute settlement system to ensure that the rules 
serve d their purpose of benefiting all parties . If breaches to the r ules were not effectively addressed, 
the rules-based  system would lose it's relevance and  credibility. It was therefore heartening that 
Members continue d to show keen interest in utilising the WTO dispute settlement mechanism to 
seek recourse. As such, Members should ensure that there was a functioning two -tier dispute 
settlement mechanism, in line with the provisions of the DSU. In light of the paralysis of the AB, a 
group of 22 Members from all continents h ad established  the MPIA. This stop -gap arrangement 
provide d for appeals to be heard in respect of disputes among parties , and it was done in accordance 
with Article 25 of the DSU. Even as they invite d other Members to consider joining the MPIA, they 
wished to emphasize their commitment to launching the AB selection process expeditiously, so that 
the MPIA was no longer required.  TN/C/M/39  
 
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  3.191.   In conclusion, just as the rules of football were designed to maximise the e njoyment of the 
game, the rules -based multilateral trading system serve d the interest of all Members.  
3.192.   The representative of Egypt  associate d his delegation with the statement made by Botswana  
on behalf of the African Group.  As had been  indicated in the "Statement on the Implications of 
COVID -19" circulated by the African Group the past June, estimates suggest ed that African gross 
domestic product (GD P) growth w ould face an immediate decline from 3.2  per cent  to 1.8  per cent  
in 2020 due to COVID -19, and ris ked a further adverse impact if the pandemic was not contained in 
the short -term.  The devastating macroeconomic impact of this unprecedented  global crisis on 
developing economies underline d the increased importance of international trad e and the centrality 
of the WTO in responding to th e crisis.  His delegation believe d that Members' work should focus on 
offering policy options that help ed developing countries and LDCs, especially in Africa, respond to 
their specific challenges, such as e xpediting economic recovery, enhancing their preparedness for 
future crises, and realizing structural economic transformation.  That said, it was important to enable 
the effective use of TRIPS flexibilities to ensure access to essential medical supplies, tr eatment and 
vaccines to all, at affordable prices.  
3.193.   On agriculture , his delegation pledge d its support to the new Chair to reach meaningful 
outcomes in MC12. Agriculture was a vital sector for Egypt 's economy and the livelihoods of its 
people - even more during the C OVID -19 pandemic.  The current crisis highligh ted that a long-term 
sustainable reform in the Agreement on Agriculture was inevitable to prepare the world , especially 
developing countries, LDCs and net food importing developing countries ( NFIDCs ) to face similar 
future shocks. Measures to build resilience in their agricultural sectors, increase productivity of 
farmers and enhance the accessibility of food for  the poor, ha d become more essential than ever. 
Therefore, Egypt w ould engage constructively with Members on the road to MC12 to ensure that any 
outcome on agriculture would contribute to achieving the aforementioned objectives.  
3.194.   On fisheries subsidies , Egypt welcome d the efforts by the Chair to move forward with 
text-based negotiations and reaffirm ed its commitment to arriv ing at an effective, implementable 
and balanced outcome that consider ed the needs of developing countries for appropriate and 
effective S&DT. 
3.195.   On S&DT, his delegation believe d that new realities created b y COVID -19 require d that its 
trade partners  reconsider their position on the G -90 proposal. Members should be aware of the 
common benefit to avoid further widening of the inequality gap. S&DT should not be regarded as a 
compromise, but as a necessity to address the challenges posed by the current global crisis.  
3.196.   On e -commerce , Egypt emphasize d the need to positively engage on the 1998 Work 
Programme in order to focus on the developmental dimension of e -commerce and the urgent need 
to build digital capacities of developing countries and LDCs to address the digital divide.  
3.197.   To conclude , Egypt encourage d all Members to work together with the emphasis on 
advancing the aspirations of developing countries in international trade and improving their 
resilience, in order to accelerate global economic recovery from this unprecedented global crisis.  
3.198.   The represen tative of Morocco  said that  the global recession was weighing on global trade 
and Members' national economies, particularly the most vulnerable economies, and might  continue 
to do so heavily and for a long time.  Tackling this challenge require d urgent, con certed and 
solidarity -based  action. Such a crisis prompt ed Members  to set aside their differences, at least 
temporarily, and focus on what they could achieve together.   
3.199.   As the Chairman had stated in his introductory report, the WTO had a crucial role to play in 
ensuring a swift recovery. In this respect, Members' discussions provided an opportunity to work 
towards reforming the system to make it fairer, more open and more sustainable. Morocco had taken 
a step in this direction by joining the "Investment F acilitation for Development Initiative" and was 
mindful of the fact that the latest reports predicted a 40 per cent fall in global FDI flows this year.  
3.200.   The ongoing pandemic had shown how crucial it was to ensure that agricultural sector supply 
chains funct ioned properly. In this regard, his delegation shared the view of Members who wished 
to see a meaningful outcome on agriculture at MC12.  TN/C/M/39  
 
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  3.201.   Members had to draw lessons from the current health and economic crisis. Sustainability 
had to be at the heart of Membe rs' concerns. In this respect, Morocco had high hopes for the ongoing 
negotiations on fisheries subsidies. His delegation hoped that these negotiations would result in a 
meaningful outcome that reduce d the most damaging subsidies, caused primarily by large -scale 
industrial fishing fleets. The Moroccan delegation was also participating in discussions on plastic 
pollution and international trade. It was of the view that this issue was important due to its economic 
and environmental impact, and that it was in the interest of all Members to move forward on this 
matter.  
3.202.   A climate of trust and calm had to be established if the organization was to overcome these 
challenges. To that end, an urgent and consensual solution for revitalizing the AB was required and 
remained a priority. Moreover, finalizing a date for MC12 was crucial so that further efforts might be 
made towards achieving Members' common goals.  
3.203.   To conclude, with regard to the appointment of the new DG, the Moroccan delegation was 
following the process cl osely and with interest and reiterated its commitment to the principle of 
consensus. His delegation wished the best of luck to all candidates and hoped that the next DG 
would, with the support of all Members, succeed in building bridges, overcoming deadloc k and 
division, and facilitating the establishment of agreed and consensual rules for trade based on justice, 
fairness and the respect of rights, rather than heightened competition and the pursuit of short -term 
gains.  
3.204.   The representative of Iceland  said tha t the multilateral trading system  was facing important 
challenges that ha d been aggravated by the COVID -19 crisis.  Members had witnessed how fragile 
global supply chains were under such unprecedented circumstances.  Times like these were an 
important remind er of why Members were  here and why their work was important.   
3.205.   His delegation thanked Ambassador Wills for the draft consolidated document for the 
negotiations on fisheries subsidies.  This was a landmark for these negotiations that ha d lasted almost 
20 yea rs. It was important for the WTO that Members reached a conclusion for this negotiation as it 
had been mandated.  Iceland believed that fisheries subsidies that contributed to overcapacity  and 
overfishing should be eliminated.  The outcome of these negotiati ons had to establish a clear 
commitment to Members that they would not grant fisheries subsidies unless they had assessed the 
impact of such subsidies on the sustainability of the fisheries benefitting from them and they would 
continue to monitor the impac t on sustainability throughout the life -cycle of their subsidies 
programmes.   
3.206.   He provided an update on the Buenos Aires Declaration on Trade and Women's Economic 
Empowerment.  As had been set out in the Declaration, the Trade Impact Group had aimed to repor t 
back on the work done under the Declaration at MC12 in Nur Sultan.  The publication had been 
finalised, however, as all Members knew the ministerial meeting had been postponed.  The Group 
believed that the work done under the Buenos Aires Declaration was a  relevant contribution for the 
WTO. Given the present uncertainty on physical meetings, the Group was assessing what the 
appropriate venue could be for launching the publication.  Research showed that economic crises 
affected men and women differently.  During the lockdown , the sectors with high rates of female 
employment had experienced heavier job losses while increased childcare needs during school 
closures had had  a larger impact on working mothers.  The COVID -19 crisis was a reminder of the 
importance of assessing the gender dimension of trade.  Trade should not be seen as an end in itself 
but rather a means to an end.  It was a means to ensure sustainable livelihoods for men and women 
across the globe.  The co -chairs of the Trade Impact Group had continued to work on the next phase 
of the implementation of the Buenos Aires Declaration and consultations with the Membership was 
ongoing.  Members had expressed support for the establishment of a framework for WTO Members 
for following up the work of the Buenos Aires Declaration beyond MC12.  It was positive that the 
subject of trade and gender had been gaining more visibility in the WTO and the Group appreciated 
the work of the WTO in this field.  
3.207.   The representat ive of Chile speaking on behalf of Ambassador  Mathias Francke, Coordinator 
of the Structured Discussions on Investment Facilitation for Development , said  that due to multiple 
reasons, the coordinato r was still in Santiago and ha d not been able as yet to tr avel to Geneva to 
formally take up the position of Permanent Representative of Chile to the WTO. He ha d been 
coordinating the initiative from Santiago.  Over previous  weeks, the coordinator ha d been conducting 
bilateral consultations in order to be apprised  of delegations' interests and expectations and  sought  TN/C/M/39  
 
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  their views on the process and way ahead. He plan ned to continue these consultations, in person, 
and loo ked forward to working closely with all delegations as soon as he arrive d in Geneva, after the 
summer break.  
3.208.   In keeping with the open, transparent and inclusive nature of the Joint Initiative , he update d 
Members on the latest developments since the last report to the HoDs in March. Following the 
decision taken by participating Members in December 2019  to move into negotiating mode as of 
March this year, four substantive meetings had been planned for the period March -May, leading up 
to MC12 in June. Unfortunately, due to the COVID -19 pandemic, these negotiating meetings had to 
be cancelled. The workplan, therefore, had to be adapted.  As soon as a secure IT platform had been  
put in place to conduct discussions remotely at the WTO, four informal open -ended virtual meetings 
had been scheduled for the June -July period. It had been  decided that these four meetings, to be 
held before the summer break, would be informal and would not serve the purpose of conducting 
negotiations. The fourth and last such meeting would  be held later in the week, on 24 July. In 
keeping with the open, transparent, and inclus ive nature of the discussions, all Members ha d been 
invited and encouraged to participate in these informal meetings.  
3.209.   These meetings ha d allowed participating Members to make good use of time and sustain 
the momentum in the work pending the resumption of p roper negotiations, as had been agreed by 
participating Members in December 2019. The informal meetings  had allowed delegations to share 
information and continue their detailed thematic discussions on the basis of the informal consolidated 
text prepared un der the coordinator’s responsibility, which include d Members' text proposals and 
contributions.  
3.210.   So far, text ual proposals and contributions, and other submissions, ha d been received from 
Argentina, Brazil, China, the EU, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Qatar  and Turkey. The text ual 
proposals ha d been inserted, where appropriate, in the informal consolidated text prepared under 
the coordinator 's responsibility. Other participating Members ha d announced their intention to 
submit text ual proposals, which was testimony to a high level of engagement by participating 
Members.  
3.211.   Attendance and participation in these meetings ha d been remarkable. Technology ha d 
allowed delegations from smaller developing Members, as well as capital -based colleagues, to 
participate in th e meetings. Short non -attributable informal summaries ha d been circulated to all 
Members after each meeting. In addition, experts from international organizations, such as the 
International Trade Centre  (ITC) , Organization of Economic Cooperation and Devel opment (OECD ), 
UNCTAD and the World Bank, had attended the meetings as observers.   
3.212.   The initiative ha d gained increasing momentum over the  previous months. Since the last 
formal meeting in February, two new Members had joined the initiative – Mauritius and Morocco – 
bringing the number of participants to 103. This increasing support attest ed to the importance that 
the majority of WTO Members attache d to investment facilitation.  
3.213.   Hoping that the situation w ould gradually improve and come back to more normal c onditions, 
it was proposed to hold four negotiating meetings as of September. Participating Members w ould 
address the proposed calendar of meetings , at the ir meeting on Friday.  
3.214.   Prior to the pandemic, the objective had been to achieve a concrete outcome by June 2020, 
on the occasion of MC12. The objective remain ed to achieve a concrete outcome on investment 
facilitation for development, if possible before the rescheduled MC12.  
3.215.   In keeping with the open, inclusive and transparent nature of the init iative, which ha d been 
a core feature of the structured discussions, all Members were encouraged to participate in this 
initiative, persuaded – as participating Members were  – that the facilitation of investments w ould be 
crucial in the post -pandemic recov ery period and that a multilateral framework could fulfil a key role 
in that regard.  
3.216.   Speaking on behalf of Chile, he said that Members were still suffering from the COVID -19 
pandemic in some areas of the world.  The impact, both economic and health, was dramatic.  He 
wished to send a message of solidarity on behalf of Chile, to all those who were suffering from the 
health crisis.  His delegation hoped that the election of the new DG would be a quick process and it TN/C/M/39  
 
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  appreciated the efforts made by Chairman of  the General Council, Ambassador David Walker, to 
launch an expeditious process which was both inclusive and transparent. His delegation welcomed 
the candidates who had officially presented themselves the previous week, amongst which were 
three women, and thanked them all for their interest in presenting their candidature and  their wish 
to ensure a good functioning of the WTO.  His delegation congratulated the candidates for their 
enthusiasm, knowledge of the organization and high quality of presentations ma de.  
3.217.   The pandemic had delayed Members' work and it had not been easy to relaunch innovative 
reforms at the WTO.  Reform was urgent ly needed,  and it was essential that Members carried out 
their work more efficiently so as to achieve concrete results.  Chile w as fully committed to the work 
under the JSIs and was pleased that work had continued, and a result had been achieved during the 
first semester despite the pandemic.  Looking to MC12, Members had to carry out all necessary 
efforts in order to achieve final results on services domestic regulation, concrete results in 
investment facilitation for development and substantive progress in e -commerce through a 
consolidated text.  Chile reiterated the value  it attached  of the moratorium on non -violation and 
situation  complaints and on e -commerce and urged Members to work hard to ensure the renewal of 
both moratoria by MC12.   
3.218.   His delegation stressed that despite the current economic and health crisis, Chile had 
maintained an open agricultural market and resist ed all me asures which would run counter to this. 
He urged Members to avoid any restrictions  or measures which would distort prices or costs  and be  
detriment al to the wellbeing of populations.  Chile was committed to moving forward with the 
agricultural negotiations and supported some statements which had been made including by the 
CAIRNS Group and Ottawa Group. Chile reiterated its commitment to the fisheries subsidies 
negotiations . For Chile, it was important to achieve ambitious results in these negotiations and in  
this regard, it welcomed the work led by Ambassador Santiago Wills.  Chile hoped that the text 
presented by Ambassador Wills would enable Members focus the negotiations from the present to 
the December 2020 deadline , in order  to achieve a consensus result by all  Members.  His delegation 
hoped that Members would have a clear work programme and roadmap for success in December.  
3.219.   The representative of Indonesia  said that this meeting was an  occasion to reflect on the 
current condition of th e organization 's negotiation work. In that regard , his d elegation wishe d to 
offer points of reflection from the first semester  of the year, particularly related to the trade and 
COVID -19 pandemic.  The pand emic ha d been a serious  challenge for all Members.  Members were 
fighting against th e pandemic and helping citizens  while also adapting to the situation so that life 
could go on . The pandemic ha d also given  the WTO additional challenges on how to  maintain i ts 
relevance in the present  global economy.  The impact th e pandemic br ought  to the trade was severe. 
Members'  attitude towards th e pandemic w ould determine both their relevance and economic 
condition s in the future.  The role of  the WTO in securing equal an d affordable access to technology, 
medical equipment , medicines and vaccine was crucial.  The organization could help , especially 
through  cooperation in ensuring that the intellectual property regime d id not become a hinderance 
in global public health objectives.  Global trade recover y would depend on equitable access to help 
to combat th e pandemic . Leaving some countries or regions behind w as tantamount to accepting 
that global value chains  would decouple global recovery.   
3.220.   Question and doubts had continued to exist since the mandated agenda had not been able 
to move forward . The crisis of the AB still remained.  Criticism and doubts about the  relevance of the 
WTO had also arisen from the lack of trust among Members , which had resulted in difficulty in 
achieving consensus ; and from Members'  behaviour when they tended to pursue own self -interest 
in particular a reas without taking account of the challenges faced by other Members . Indonesia 
believed that Members needed to reflect on the history of the c ommon goals of the founding fathers 
of the organization , that all Members should  be able to reap the benefit s of global trade.   
3.221.   His delegation wishe d to touch upon Members' interaction with candidates for the WTO DG 
post, in order to lay down the foundations for Members' upcoming work after the summer break , 
looking towards MC12.  First, his delegation thanked the Chairman of the General Council for 
organising the special General Council meeting with the candidates . Members had had a useful 
opportunity to not only acquaint themselves with the visions of the candidates, but also to r aise 
questions  – many of which should be addressed to Members . Bearing in mind the Member -driven 
nature of the organization , his delegation believed that Members should reflect on their own attitudes 
and willingness.  It was unfortunate that while Members h ad agreed on many matters in ministerial 
conferences, they were pursing own exclusive interests outside the mandate of the Ministerial TN/C/M/39  
 
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  Conference that potentially could lead others to hit the bench.  Such attitude would be difficult to be 
deal with even by the most powerful candidate with the strongest profile for the WTO DG.  If Members 
were committed to obtain ing a balance d and win -win solution in every agenda, they needed to listen 
to others and understand their difficulties and challenges.  Members also ha d to rein vent the concrete 
form of cooperation where they could work together and seek consensus based on the mutual 
interest in an inclusive and transparent manner.  His delegation hoped that all Members could reflect 
on their work so that they could embar k on their mandated work after the summer break with a 
fresh and open mind in order to move forward matters that had been on the table.   
3.222.   The representative of Jamaica  speaking on behalf of the ACP Group  said that the Group 
welcome d the important steps whic h were being taken to find creative ways to consolidate and 
enhance progress in the WTO 's work programme, as well as to continue Members' assessment of 
the WTO 's role in the context of the global pandemic.  
3.223.   On fisheries subsidies, the Group welcome d the Chair 's draft consolidated text. There were 
various issues to be discussed on process and substance, including issues not yet reflected in the 
document and the structure of Members' post-summer work programme, in light of the continued 
lockdown mode i n most capitals, making it difficult or impossible for capital -based officials to 
contribute effectively. The Group noted that 2020 remain ed the target for conclusion. It urged that 
the Chair bear in mind the context within which Members operate d, that is,  the further unfolding of 
the pandemic. It ha d become difficult for large groups such as theirs to coordinate without full access 
to the WTO premises and facilities of interpretation. The Group was positively disposed to discuss 
further approaches to the f isheries subsidies negotiations and how work could be best organized 
during this difficult time.  
3.224.   As regards agriculture, the impact of the pandemic h ad confirmed the Group's concerns over 
limited progress in agreeing mutually acceptable disciplines for domestic support including for 
cotton, PSH and SSM with appropriate S&DT. Agriculture and food security were essential to the ACP 
Group and should not be relegated to the lower tier of priorities.  The Group remain ed open to 
dialogue on export restriction dis ciplines that t ook into account the unique circumstances of 
developing countries. It looked forward to working with the incoming COA-SS Chair and would assist 
in efforts for meaningful outcomes at MC12.  
3.225.    On development/S &DT, the Group reiterate d the importance of continuing discussions in 
the CTD -SS at the earliest possible opportunity, including on the impact of COVID -19 on its work. It 
welcomed  the written submissions in JOB/DEV/60, JOB/TNC/79 and the subsequent questions and 
responses in docum ent JOB/DEV/61. The ACP Group look ed forward to the next CTD -SS meeting 
where the updated documents c ould be discussed. This w ould be an important confidence building 
exercise as Members ramped up efforts towards MC12. In this regard, a clear work programm e 
would enhance Members' work.  
3.226.   Services trade was a fundamental and growing feature of the ACP Group 's economies. 
COVID -19 ha d brought about severe impacts on their economies such as loss of foreign exchange 
earnings, closure of key sectors such as tourism , and significant disruption in economic linkages.  
The services sector was a priority sector for many ACP countries due to its contribution to  GDP and 
jobs and the work in the Council for Trade in Services in Special Session ( CTS-SS) had to proceed 
in a ma nner that was sensitive to the vulnerabilities of developing countries and LDCs. The CTS 
should deliberate on an appropriate response to the impact of COVID -19, taking into account the 
sensitivities of services trade in developing countries and LDCs.  
3.227.   The G roup recognize d the benefits of e -commerce. The crisis  had highlighted the need to 
address the digital divide within and among countries. The WTO had to provide adequate attention 
to transitioning developing countries and LDCs beyond being mere buyers in e -commerce. This was 
essential for their MSMEs. The Group saw v alue in continuing the conversation on and beyond the 
moratorium to cover issues such as revenue implications, the impact on businesses, consumer 
welfare and the extent to which the temporary moratorium ha d impacted national  information 
communication technology ( ICT) and industrial policies.  
3.228.   On TRIPS and public health, C OVID -19 infections and fatalities were increasing at an 
alarming rate.  The TRIPS Agreement should not hinder the di scovery and production of medicines 
urgently require d. At the same time, it had to be ensure d that Members work ed together to facilitate TN/C/M/39  
 
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  mechanisms and schemes to provide global access to the vaccine and cure when they were available. 
Members had to unders tand better how the flexibilities of the TRIPS Agreement w ould foster access 
to the medicines for all  which was  needed to combat C OVID -19. 
3.229.   On WTO reform, the ACP Group believe d that the process and substance should accentuate 
the development dimension of i nternational trade, complement the SDGs, be fair, transparent and 
inclusive. The Group had noted discussions among some Members to find a resolution to the AB 
impasse. The Group urged caution against sub -plenary arrangements and reiterate d the need for an 
outcome that was mutually acceptable and adopted in line with the consensus principle of the WTO.  
3.230.   The ACP pledge d its commitment to continue to play a constructive role as  Members sought  
to ensure that the WTO respond ed to the challenges to the multilatera l trading system.  
3.231.   The representative of Argentina  said that this year, the  challenges facing the organization, 
which ha d been under discussion for some time, ha d been compounded by the early departure of 
the DG and, more importantly, the pandemic.  
3.232.   In his delegation's view, COVID -19 had highlighted a number of issues. First, it had shown 
that Members' priorities were not set in stone but could be adjusted after a r ealistic review of the 
situation. Second, the pandemic had shown that no level of development could guarantee survival 
in isolation. As President Fernández had said at the G20 Leaders' Summit: "We have to act right 
now, here and now, because it has become obvious that no one can save themselves on their 
own …". Thus, harmonization, coordination and international cooperation were needed now more 
than ever. Third, it had been clear to his delegation that the effect on trade had an impact on 
Members' personal,  family, business and institutional well -being. This included  trade irrespective of 
sector or form and cover ed trade in goods and services, both virtual and physical.  
3.233.   If it had not been for the pandemic, only a month and a half ago Members would have held 
the MC12, at which all  Members  hoped to achieve meaningful outcome s for their economies and for 
the relevance of the WTO. Members had, in principle, an extra year to work. He urged them not to 
waste this window of time given to them by the pandemic.  
3.234.   His de legation was pleased that the CoA -SS had a new Chair and hoped to resume full 
agricultural negotiations as soon as possible. His delegation would continue to contribute to the 
objective of reaching an agreement on fisheries subsidies. It remained concerned  about the paralysis 
in the AB, despite the efforts that had been made under the process led by Ambassador Walker. His 
delegation was confident that the vacancy for the post of DG would be filled in due course.  
3.235.   In addition to the pending WTO negotiations, his delegation understood the importance of 
continuing discussions on moving towards a strengthened and modernized WTO that was able to 
take on 21st century challenges, such as e -commerce, MSMEs and investment facilitation. It had to 
be noted that the thir d revision of the proposal on transparency and notifications co -sponsored by 
Argentina had been submitted recently.  
3.236.   His delegation agree d with the DG that it was not about achieving the text Members wanted, 
but about identifying the text with which every M ember could live. In other words, any consensus, 
however modest, would always be a greater achievement than a high level of ambition with no 
outcome.  
3.237.   The representative of New Zealand  focus ed his statement  on three points . First, COVID -19 
remai ned front an d centre for all Members , and its impact ha d not only had a tragic toll on human 
life and health, but also threate ned Members' collective economic future. The impact on international 
trade as pointed out by the D G was  serious. The WTO ha d a role to play in  both the response and 
recovery, particularly in monitoring trade related measures including export restrictions. This work 
was critical. Like others, New  Zealand continue d to work with Members on concrete steps towards 
addressing trade -related impacts of COVID -19, including on medical supplies and agricultural supply 
chains. It was pleased to be part of Ottawa Group efforts, referenced by Ambassador DeBoer  
(Canada)  as well as the Cairns Group .  
3.238.   Secondly, on negotiations its immediate negotiating priority was on successfully concluding 
fisheries subsidies negotiations by December. His delegation was grateful for the work the Chair ha d TN/C/M/39  
 
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  done on establishing the textual basis for continuous, intensive negotiations starting as soo n as 
possible. There was no more room for excuses – all of the ingredients for an outcome were on the 
table. He need not remind Members of the implications of failing to meet the deadline.  
3.239.   His delegation welcome d the appointment of the COA-SS Chair and knew that she w ould 
carry on the important work previously led by Ambassador Ford. Agricultural reform was more critical 
than ever, particularly in a C OVID -19 environment. An outcome on trade distorting agricultural 
support remain ed a key priority for New  Zealand and a range of developed and developing Members 
for MC12.  
3.240.   The imperative for J SIs, particularly on e -commerce, services domestic regulation and 
MSMES h ad been strengthened by the pandemic,  and the WTO had to show  that it c ould respond 
accordingly to crises and 21st century issues.  
3.241.   Third, efforts towards effective and inclusive WTO reform had to continue and accelerate. A 
key challenge here was that there were different perspectives on what was required. Members 
needed focused engagement tha t brought t hem together, so that they could collectively deliver. 
Reaching a solution on the A B impasse had to be t he top of the priority list.   
3.242.   The representative of Afghanistan  express ed gratitude to the WTO Secretariat for its efforts 
in facilitat ing WTO  meetings during the lockdown period and as well as for the resumption of in -
person meetings especially the resumptions of  the current TNC meeting.  
3.243.   With the current global public health crisis, the world was facing an unprecedented situation. 
While develo ped and advanced nations were struggling in the fight with COVID -19, the developing 
world; LDCs, land-locked developing countries (LLDCs) , the small, fragile and conflict -affected 
countries were more exposed to the pandemic given their vulnerability and lo wer level of 
development, poor public health care capacities and their capacity to properly navigate the fight 
against the pandemic and recover from it.  
3.244.   His delegation welcome d the multilateral trading response by commending the Chair's  efforts 
and leaders hip in ensuring transparency and coordination with other international organizations to 
lay the ground for an immediate response to emerging trade matters from the crisis and helping 
trade to flow as freely  as it could. He recognize d the efforts of  Members  who were trying to minimize 
disruption in trade flows.  
3.245.   With MC12 in the horizon, Members had to overcome the challenges facing the  WTO and do 
their homework to achieve concrete outcomes for all in order to reap the benefits of global trade 
and development , based on fair, inclusive, sustainable, and rules -based multilateral trading system. 
His delegation was pleased that the candidates for  the DG position share d this vision and envision ed 
overcoming these challenges. Therefore , his delegation supported a  rapid selection of next DG.  
3.246.   His delegation associate d itself with the LDCs statement delivered by Chad . It supported  the 
current negotiations and subscribe d to the call to all Members to engage constructively to achieve 
possible  convergence on the key and important issues such as development, agriculture  and a focus 
on fisher ies subsidies  and cotton, and others; based on solution -targeted and result -oriented 
approaches and efforts.  To this end, Afghanistan was committed to engag ing in these efforts and 
was of the view that the current pace of the negotiations need ed to be accelerated by prioritizing 
issues  based on their mandates and urgency to balance and sustain the benefit of global trade for 
all Members, especially for the mos t vulnerable economies and LDCs.  
3.247.   S&DT was an essential part of WTO Agreements for a fairer, more equitable, inclusive and 
transparent system. All S&DT  measures had to be made more effective in compliance with paragraph 
44 of the Doha mandate - in line with  the founding principles of the WTO.  On development, his 
delegation encourage d Members to engage in a constructive manner with the G -90 on the substance 
of the 10 Agreement - specific proposal s (ASPs ). Acknowledging the fact that there was still room for 
further improvement, Members  should focus on text -based discussion of the proposals.  In line with 
the position of the G -90 and LDC Group, his delegation suppor ted a political declaration of Ministers 
reaffirming the centrality of development in the WTO as an outcome for S&DT  at MC12, with the 
hope that the negotiations on the G -90’s 10 ASPs could conclude before MC13.  TN/C/M/39  
 
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  3.248.   Regarding the DSB, Afghanistan was of the view that a well -functioning DSB was imperat ive 
to the multilateral trading system  and to the WTO itself in order to ensure a full and fair enforcement 
of rules and obligations by Members. Afghanistan regre tted that, despite efforts of Members, they 
could  not save the system . Therefore,  for his delegation , restoring  the two -pillar dispute settlement 
system was an urgent and essential issue. His delegation therefore call ed upon all Members  to 
double their engagement to find a pragmatic solution to the dispute settlement system  problem and 
resolve it b efore or during MC12.  
3.249.   Finally, on the JSIs, Afghanistan support ed the work o n investment facilitation, MSMEs and 
women 's empowerment through trade. Afghanistan subscribe d to the work of the informal groups 
in building up their respective frameworks and inputs towards a multilateral working program under 
the WTO.  It appreciate d discussion in these initiatives and commend ed their proponents, 
coordinators and Members for their extensive work and acknowledge d the opportunity throug h open, 
transparent and inclusive discussions where all Members c ould participate and engage.  
3.250.   The representative of the United Kingdom  said that the organization ha d been facing a 
number of difficult challenges for a number of years. The pandemic ha d hit Members hard, as 
individuals, and as a group. The United Kingdom commend ed the Chairman  and the Secretariat for 
the early steps taken to keep staff and delegates safe, and then to build platforms which ha d allowed 
Members' work to continue in an inclusive w ay, in virtual then in hybrid format. This ha d moved 
Members a long way from the standstill they had experienced in the spring.  
3.251.   The United Kingdom w ished to reiterate the importance of forging ahead with ongoing work 
at the WTO, reinstating a fully functi oning dispute resolution system, and aiming for ambitious 
outcomes in ongoing negotiations.  
3.252.   The fisheries subsidies negotiations, as well as the initiatives on e -commerce, domestic 
regulation on services, investment facilitation for development and MSMEs offered the WTO a 
dynamic, new and constructive framework for addressing the key trade issues of the time.  
3.253.   On fisheries subsidies, his delegation welcome d the draft consolidated text circulated by 
Ambassador Wills, NGR Chair, as an important step toward meeting Members' collective commitment 
to agree on disciplines to harmful fisheries subsidies this year.   
3.254.   The United Kingdom ha d long advocated for ambitiou s outcomes on e -commerce, and this 
remain ed a top priority for its industry stakeholders. The pandemic ha d shown how dependent the 
global econom y was,  and w ould continue to be, on digital trade. His delegation was pleased, 
therefore, that the joint initiat ive on e -commerce ha d continued its work, in small groups and in 
plenary, to streamline text around specific issues. His delegation c ommend ed the co -convenors and 
the facilitators for their efforts to maintain the pace of negotiations, and it urged all Mem bers to 
work together to ensure as broad a participation as possible, so the outcomes benefit ted developed, 
developing and least -developed Members.  
3.255.   The United Kingdom was also committed to the success of the  JSIs on Services Domestic 
Regulation and Invest ment Facilitation for Development. The goals of liberalising global services 
trade, and ensuring transparency and predictability for services suppliers and investors, ha d become 
all the more important in the context of the current crisis. His delegation welcome d the good progress 
made on outstanding issues in the domestic regulation reference paper in informal consultations and 
hybrid meetings, thanks to the dedicated efforts of Members and of the Chair, and it was keen to 
continue working with others to re ach a finalised text well before a rescheduled MC12. His delegation 
was pleased to support language on non -discrimination between men and women, which w ould 
increase women 's ability to access the benefits of trade and  support a sustainable and equitable 
recovery from the current economic crisis.  
3.256.   The representative of Norway  thanked the Chairman for his report and reflections on the 
role of the TNC and the fundamental choices before Members. Norway was devoted to multilateral 
cooperation in general and to t he rules -based trading system in particular. Fragmentation had to be 
avoided. In this context, he referred to the efforts of the Ottawa Group in addressing both the 
longer -term issues related to reform of the WTO, but also more immediate concerns related to the 
pandemic. Norway associate d itself with the statement by  Canada in this regard.  TN/C/M/39  
 
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  3.257.   Focusing his intervention on fisheries subsidies, he said that m any ha d pointed to the 
importance of the fisheries subsidies negotiations for two strong reasons  - sustainable  development 
and the credibility of the WTO. Many of the DG candidates, in their interviews the previous week, 
had understood this. But Members could not wait for a new DG . The responsibility rest ed with 
Members to negotiate the deal.  In this context, he congratulate d the NGR Chair for his presentation 
of a draft consolidated text and  express ed his delegation's support for his initiative for an intensified 
process.  
3.258.   On the process , Members found themselves at present at the same stage of negotiations as 
they had been in March, before the pandemic hit them. When Members returned in September, they 
would have the same number of days until their deadline by the end of 2020 as they would have  
had to MC12 in June. The difference was that the pandemic ha d affected and w ould affect some of 
the modes of work. The pandemic ha d disrupted the possibility for physical attendance by 
capital -based officials. On the other hand, digital means m ade it possible to attend meetings without 
physical presence, enabling Members to be in continuous negotiations despite the  challenges caused 
by the pandemic.  
3.259.   The goal line was in sight. It was time to start talking about what a possible so lution m ight 
look like, and the draft consolidated text was a good basis. His delegation acknowledge d that 
Members needed to compromise to arrive at consensus but  underline d that the instrument would 
have to be meaningful. For Norway,  this mean t that there  would be cuts in global subsidies and the 
instrument ha d to be implementable.  Furthermore, and irrespective of all the details of negotiations, 
Members had to not lose sight of the objective that  they had to ensure that subsidies were not 
provided to IUU-activity.  
3.260.   Moving into the final stretch, Members had to remember that overcapacity and overfishing 
remain ed the most important part of the mandate. Any solution, which allow ed major subsidizers to 
continue as before, w ould not pass the red face test . Nor w ould a solution that d id not give some 
flexibilities to those in real need of it. Those who d id not support their fisheries at present  but need ed 
it in the future to build fisheries, w ould also have to accept limitations on their policy space, for 
sustainability reasons.  Furthermore, Members would all have to accept that their fisheries subsidies 
would be reviewed by their peers.  
3.261.   It was time to realize that any proposal that fores aw a major contribution from the others, 
while leaving some completely off the hook, w ould never achieve consensus. Major subsidizers and 
fishing nations should show leadership and visibly cut subsidies, immediately or over a certain 
period. Members would all have to contribute. Norway was ready to do its part.  
3.262.   The representative of Malaysia  said that Malaysia t ook cognizance of the challenges facing 
the multilateral trading system  during this challenging time amid C OVID -19. It appreciate d Member 's 
efforts i n continuing to preserve the system and ensuring that th e WTO  continue d to stand.  
3.263.   Malaysia wishe d to highlight the following issues which need ed to be addressed 
expeditiously . It re-emphasize d that the full functioning of the dispute settlement system was 
fundamental to th e organization . Malaysia was r eady to work with all Members towards finding a 
solution for the AB  impasse and any possible ways to ensure it was preserved.  
3.264.   Malaysia commend ed the efforts made by Ambassador Wills to continue the fisheries 
subsidies negotiations.  It welcome d his presentation o f the consolidated text and look ed forward to 
future discussions. It believe d that for an outcome in MC12, Members needed to shift to the 
text-based negotiations as soon as possible, taking into account the new normal because of the 
COVID -19 pandemic. The negotiations had to follow the existing mandate to prohibit certain harmful 
fisheries subsidies with development as an integral part .  
3.265.   His delegation w elcome d the various on -going discussions on the J SIs on MSMEs, investment 
facilitation, and e -commerce  and looked forward to continued engagement.   
3.266.   Members had to recognize  the foundation upon which this multilateral institution had been 
built – which was, development . WTO Members should assume a more constructive role in 
narrowing  the gaps in key areas of negotiations. Greater political will and flexibility were crucial  if 
Members wished to see this through.  TN/C/M/39  
 
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  3.267.   Malaysia commend ed Ambassador Walker 's efforts in ensuring a smooth sailing of the DG 
selection process. It hope d that phase three  of the selection process w ould be conducted in a 
transparent and inclusive manner.  
3.268.   COVID -19 had brought unprecedented challenges that Members had never faced before. To 
ensure a steady economic recovery, it was critical that Members cooperate d and exercise d 
flexibilities to resolve the bigger issues. Members needed to join hands to ensure that  the credibility 
of the  multilateral trading system  was not undermined.  
3.269.   As Chair of Working Group on Trade, Debt and Finance , he expressed appreciation to the 
Chairman for his i mportant work and initiatives with other multilateral development banks on access 
to trade finance, in particular for MSMEs.  
3.270.   The representative of Senegal  endorse d the statements made on behalf of the ACP, African 
and LDC groups.  The previous week, in the process of selecting the Chairman's replacement, 
Members had had the occasion to raise numerous questions and concerns relating to the future of 
the organization in general, but also in particular to the contribution of the TNC Chair with regard to 
the pro gress of the negotiations under way.  
3.271.   Two key elements had emerged from these discussions: the importance of making progress 
in multilateral trade negotiations in order to demonstrate the relevance of the system and its 
contribution to poverty reduction, de velopment and prosperity for all, and the need for political will, 
flexibility, pragmatism and mutual confidence to get there.  
3.272.   In this regard, MC12 would mark a decisive stage in the future of the organization and would 
provide the opportunity to make prog ress on the negotiating agenda. Members therefore had to 
identify the areas where it was possible for results to be achieved at MC12 and those that would 
have to be included in a post -MC12 work programme.  
3.273.   For his delegation, an outcome in fisheries subsidi es was essential. His delegation welcomed 
the efforts of the NGR Chair in this regard. However, much still remained to be done to arrive at 
effective disciplines whose implementation could be evaluated.  
3.274.   Senegal would work for an outcome that responded to i ts economic and social concerns but 
also provided the WTO with the opportunity to contribute towards the SDGs. For this reason, his 
delegation considered that the prohibition of subsidies that were harmful to the sustainability  of 
resources had to be seen as a major component of fisheries management systems and plans. 
Fisheries management could not serve as a justification for using subsidies that increased the 
capacity and scale of fishing by industrial vessels.  
3.275.   Progress also needed to be made in the area of agriculture. The COVID -19 pandemic and 
restrictive commercial practices had underlined the need for certain countries to ensure their food 
security and reduce their dependence on the outside world. Economic stimulus  measures taken 
throughout the world w ould also have distorting effects on international agricultural markets. It was 
therefore essential to achieve outcomes on PSH and adopt an SSM for developing countries. 
Outcomes in these areas would mean that developing countries and LDCs could be equippe d with 
mechanisms to mitigate the harmful effects of agricultural subsidies that distorted international 
markets and plunged  millions of farmers in their countries into unemployment and poverty. From 
this perspective, the question of domestic support for c otton should be given specific treatment with 
a view to an outcome at MC12.  
3.276.   As regards development in general and S&D T in particular, his delegation called for flexibility 
and pragmatism in current and future negotiations in order to achieve balanced outco mes that took 
account of the different needs, constraints and levels of development of Members.  
3.277.   His delegation was pursuing internal consultations on  the plurilateral initiatives on 
e-commerce, investment facilitation and MSMEs. Beyond the open and transpa rent nature of these 
initiatives, his delegation held the view that the rules envisaged and the proposals on the table 
should be flexible enough to incorporate differences relating to institutions and legal frameworks, 
levels of development and the policy space needs of developing Members. In short, the proposed 
rules should not become straitjackets for the participants.  TN/C/M/39  
 
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  3.278.   This flexibility would also be one of the key ingredients for a successful reform of the WTO 
and for the relevance and credibility of the multilateral trading system . The resolution of the crisis 
in the AB, the better functioning of councils and committees and improvements to the transparency 
of trade policies and practices were all subjects in which the concerns of Members, regardless of 
their stature, had to be reflected. An inclusive, balanced and transparent reform process would be 
the way to achieve an organization that was not new but was improved as a result of being more 
responsive to Members' development goals and more relevant in a changing world.  
3.279.   The representative of Paraguay  said that the COVID -19 pandemic ha d brought about a 
change of priorities in the world, and now more than ever there was a need for the WTO to reinvent 
itself, to show its relevance and to restore its credibili ty. In the following  months , Members would 
be occupied with the process of appointing a new DG, and the person who assume d leadership w ould 
have to take account of expectations regarding the next ministerial conference and the WTO itself.  
3.280.   There was an urgent need for inclusive and, above all, realistic reform. The WTO had to 
adapt to the needs of the 21st century and produce results that underpinned the measures taken by 
Members at the national level to promote the post - pandemic economic recovery. S&D T had to be 
maintained as a principle and a right for countries that really needed it. The updating of the rule 
book had to focus on the creation of rules that reflected the new realities of international trade in 
agriculture and in e -commerce, and on the e stablishment of rules in new disciplines that facilitated 
entry into the international market and economic empowerment for MSMEs, women and young 
entrepreneurs.  
3.281.   The pandemic had demonstrated the need to ensure the supply of essential products and 
highlight ed the dangers that might accompany excessive protectionism when it related to the supply 
of such products. As both importers and exporters , Members had the responsibility to ensure that 
trade flows were not adversely affected. To this end, Paraguay had ma de a commitment not to 
impose restrictions on exports of agricultural products and at the same time to implement trade 
facilitation measures. However, it expressed concern at the proliferation of SPS measures not based 
on international standards or scienti fic evidence and also of protectionist initiatives or massive 
subsidy programmes that distorted trade and affected the food security of third parties, whose 
notifications, furthermore, were submitted with excessive delays.  
3.282.   Turning to  the agriculture negot iations and the urgent need to reform agricultural trade, in 
accordance with the provisions of Article 20 of the Agreement on Agriculture , her delegation hoped 
that the agriculture negotiations could resume as soon as possible under the leadership of the n ew 
Chair, who would formally take up the role the next day. H er delegation wished her success in this 
difficult task that she would undertake in the search for consensus and creative solutions in order to 
achieve an ambitious and comprehensive outcome at t he next ministerial conference.  
3.283.   Paraguay faced enormous challenges on account of its geographical circumstances. Its 
economy had to cope with extra transport costs, difficulties of access to the principal markets, and 
fragile physical and digital connecti vity. For this reason, h er delegation supported as a minimum the 
renewal of the moratorium and wished to see discussions in the context of the 1998 Work 
Programme on E -commerce intensified. The COVID -19 pandemic had highlighted the importance of 
e-commerce  as a tool for keeping both domestic and international trade alive. Paraguay had 
established it as a priority on the national agenda through a roadmap outlining the next months of 
recovery and digitalization of the economy. H er delegation therefore reitera ted its commitment to 
the work of the JSI on e -commerce and was ready to move ahead in a constructive, open and 
transparent manner in discussions on the proposals submitted. H er delegation wished to continue 
work in flexible formats, provided that they wer e open and inclusive, with the virtual participation 
of capitals during the health crisis. It also encouraged holding of thematic seminars with proponents 
and organizations specializing in these complex subjects in order to make proposals more compact, 
working together to ensure better comprehension and the preparation of a comprehensive 
consolidated text with a view to MC12.  
3.284.   As regards the JSI on domestic regulation in services, investment facilitation and MSMEs, 
her delegation noted with satisfaction the progress in discussions and encouraged participants to 
continue moving forward to achieve results at MC12.  TN/C/M/39  
 
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  3.285.   She did not wish to conclude h er statement without referring to the situation in the AB . Her 
delegation was analysing the temporary alternatives backed by a group of Members pending a 
definitive solution to the current impasse. However, h er delegation was convinced that the priority 
of the Membership had to be to fill the vacancies without furthe r delay; any definitive solution had 
to be negotiated and aim for the immediate restoration of the dispute settlement system with its 
fundamental principles.  
3.286.   The representative of Cameroon  associated his delegation with the statements by Botswana 
on behalf  of the African Group and Jamaica on behalf of the ACP.  On fisheries subsidies, his 
delegation thanked Ambassador Wills for his efforts to enhance consensus amongst the Membership 
with different difficult items.  The negotiation text which had been submitte d by Ambassador Wills 
was being studied in capital and his delegation would convey its views as soon as was possible.  
However, he wished to share some preliminary views . Cameroon shared the goal of seeing these 
negotiations yield results within a reasonabl e deadline so as to address the problems of sustainability 
at sea.  However, the results should not jeopardise Members of the groups to which it belonged. An 
acceptable consensus would be one that ensured that they had the necessary means to enjoy their 
fisheries resources according to their development needs and in line with their international rights 
and obligations.  S&DT had to be granted to artisanal fishi ng and small -scale fishing.  The same went 
for IUU fishing where Cameroon found that it should not consider the suspension of all subsidies for 
all ships carrying out such fishing.  Therefore, his delegation welcomed the openness shown by 
Ambassador Wills th at his text was a zero draft to be examined by all Members.   
3.287.   The COVID -19 pandemic had once again shown the vulnerability of small economies and the 
interconnection of all Members' economies.  The economic recovery measures adopted by certain 
countries, esp ecially the developed, showed not only the urgency to address domestic support but 
also the difficulties for developing countries to take similar measures because of the lack of financial 
means.   
3.288.   The solutions put forward by the G -90 in the proposals submi tted to the CTD -SS required a 
positive response from Members more than ever.  Therefore, it would be wrong to be in favour of an 
inclusive economic recovery whilst denying some countries the necessary means that they needed 
to ensure their economic growth to respond to legitimate ambitions of their population.  His 
delegation welcomed those who had asked for a dialogue and invited those countries that were still 
reticent to embark upon a sincere and fruitful dialogue which would be jointly beneficial.   
3.289.   Camero on was in favour of world trade and the necessary role of e -commerce. This was why 
for his delegation, it was important that the door was left open to all Members. A solution on this 
matter required each Member to look beyond its immediate interests and in clude the legitimate 
expectations of all others. He was thinking of the many developing countries for whom , because of 
the challenges involved, e -commerce made it even more difficult for them to integrate into world 
trade.  This did not mean that Cameroon r an counter to the opportunities offered by e -commerce.  It 
subscribed to the discussions currently under way and his delegation was convinced that Members 
would be able to find a path which would lead to a solution acceptable by all.   
3.290.   Cameroon thanked the C hairman of the General Council for the process under way for the 
appointment of the new DG. It also thanked the Swiss authorities for making it possible for all 
candidates to be present.  The high quality of all candidates had shown that this was now time f or 
Members to show their commitment to diversity in the organization as established in the founding 
text. Cameroon was ready to work constructively with other Members to a find consensus solution 
which was fair and sustainable.   
3.291.   The representative of Venez uela said that her delegation acknowledge d the Chairman's 
leadership of th e organization in the past seven years, successfully weathering the storms and taking 
action to strengthen the multilateral trading system . Her delegation was grateful  for the fact that 
the Chairman's  door ha d always been open whenever needed and wished him success in his  new 
path, with satisfaction at having played a leading role in th e collective history that all Members had 
been called upon to  write.  
3.292.   The COVID -19 pandemic had evolved from a public health crisis to an unprecedented global 
economic crisis in which the divisions and tensions of a globalized, interdependent world had become TN/C/M/39  
 
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  more acute. Trade had undergone drastic changes and needed  to be restructured if Members were 
to overcome the global crisis.  
3.293.   In addition to the list of challenges that developing countries had to face, such as historical 
inequalities, some countries also had to tackle the direct and collateral consequences of the  
implementation of illegal unilateral coercive measures as a means of breaking their will. In 
Venezuela's case, the implementation of unilateral coercive measures restricted its ability to 
purchase food and medicine abroad. In this scenario, h er delegation  needed a WTO that was 
transparent, inclusive, rules -based and resilient, with a negotiating function that responded to 
Members' collective interests including historical debt, and with a robust DSB that provided 
guarantees to all Members on an equal basis , without a single Member's veto.  
3.294.   The previous week, Members had witnessed a rich exchange of ideas generated over the 
two days dedicated to getting to know the candidates for the post of DG. Many important things had 
been said. However, one of the most re peated statements referred to the need to create confidence 
among Members. The creation of this depended on mutual recognition and acceptance of Members' 
individual characteristics, and on respect for the sovereignty and self -determination of all  Members.  
3.295.   The multilateral trading system  had to defend itself against the imposition of hegemonic 
thinking. It had to defend the principles that governed healthy co -existence among Members and 
defend its Members' right to dispose of their own resources to meet the ir social needs, with the 
economic system that they had the sovereign right to adopt. In short, mutual confidence started 
with respect for the rights of others.  
3.296.   In conclusion, her delegation welcomed the fact that little by little Members were resuming 
their work. But caution was also called for since the pandemic was still affecting a large part of the 
world. This meant that some capitals were still unable to be fully involved in negotiations despite 
the interest that existed.  
3.297.   The Trade Negotiations Commit tee took note  of the statements.  
 
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