WTO = World Trade Organization will hold a ministerial meeting in Switzerland for the first time in about four and a half years from the 12th.
The focus will be on responding to the food shortage caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and whether or not it can show a consistent policy regarding the philosophy and importance of free trade.
The Council of Ministers, the highest decision-making body of the WTO, will be held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 10 pm on the 12th of Japan time.
From Japan, Deputy Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Hosoda and Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Takebe will attend.
The Ministerial Meeting will be held for the first time in about four and a half years due to a series of postponements due to the spread of the new corona infection.
At this meeting, the "Superior Committee" will be the final judge for the settlement of trade disputes, which will make rules to enable countries around the world to procure vaccines and medical devices for the new coronavirus fairly, and to deal with trade disputes that have virtually stopped functioning. Discussions will be held on rebuilding and so on.
In addition, given that the supply of wheat and other foods from large agricultural countries and Ukraine has been stalled due to the invasion by Russia, and food shortages have occurred in some countries, the WTO has thoroughly enforced rules to prevent unnecessary export restrictions. We aim to reach an agreement such as.
On the other hand, the importance of economic security has increased against the backdrop of the conflict between the United States and China, and economic sanctions such as the containment of important goods such as semiconductors, import restrictions on Russia and the cancellation of most favored nation treatment have been put forward. There are a series of conflicting movements.
The focus will be on showing a consensus policy at this Ministerial Meeting.
This time's main agenda
The main agenda items at this Ministerial Meeting are the response to the new corona, the restoration of trade dispute resolution functions, the response to food shortages, and fishing subsidies.
Correspondence to new corona
It is to create rules that enable countries around the world to procure medical products and devices containing the new coronavirus vaccine fairly.
Specifically, we will not restrict exports in order to enclose medical products, and open up vaccine patents owned by pharmaceutical companies in developed countries so that they can be used in emerging countries.
Discussions began in November, but negotiations have been difficult due to complex interests such as the intentions of pharmaceutical companies and the speculation of governments of each country, and adjustments toward an agreement are continuing.
Restoration of trade dispute resolution function
The WTO has the ability to resolve trade disputes.
For many years, it has helped maintain the stability of free trade through rule-based trade dispute resolution.
There is a "panel" that is the first trial and a "advanced committee" that is the final trial, but this "advanced committee" has virtually stopped functioning.
Trade in the final court from the end of 2019, opposed to the appointment of a new member of the "Higher Commission" against the background of the former Trump administration of the United States complaining that China, a member country, has been unfairly favored. We are in a situation where we cannot resolve the dispute.
With the understanding of the United States, attention is being paid to how we can pave the way for the recovery of the important role of the WTO.
Responding to food shortages
Due to the military invasion of Russia, the transportation of agricultural products such as wheat from the large agricultural country, Ukraine, has been delayed, and Russia seems to have restricted exports, and the world food price is rising further.
And food shortages are occurring in some countries in the Middle East and Africa that depend on food from Russia and Ukraine.
WTO Executive Secretary Okonjoi Wara said at a press conference held in April that "a potential food crisis is imminent due to soaring prices of food and fertilizers", especially in developing countries. I warn you that I could give it.
In order to minimize the impact on countries where the food crisis is likely to become more serious, the WTO is paying attention to whether it can put out a message such as "no unnecessary export restrictions" at this conference.
Fishing subsidy
The debate is to create new rules to regulate the government's fishing subsidies that lead to overfishing of fish stocks.
Negotiations began in 2001, and the WTO's negotiations have become more active as the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals SDGs banned fishing subsidies that lead to overfishing in 2015.
However, more than 20 years after the start of negotiations, no agreement has been reached.
Japan and the EU-European Union argue that fishery subsidies that lead to overfishing of fishery resources should be banned, but that subsidies for proper resource management do not need to be banned. increase.
On the other hand, there are many voices calling for preferential treatment from developing countries, etc., because there are differences in the ability to manage resources depending on the country, and there is concern that even the necessary subsidies may be prohibited. ..
The focus is on being able to close the gap.
What is WTO?
WTO = World Trade Organization is an international organization that plays a central role in a free and open trading system. It is a huge organization headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, with 164 countries and regions.
Its predecessor is GATT = "General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade".
After the recession of the 1930s, the global economy became more blocked, and each country set up protectionist policies to contribute to World War II and open up trade. It was established in 1948 for the purpose of doing so.
The Kennedy Round started by President Kennedy of the United States.
In the midst of the Cold War, it was agreed that the United States would exert strong leadership to significantly reduce tariffs on industrial products.
The Uruguay Round, which focused on tariffs on agricultural products without exception, caused a fierce opposition from farmers in Japan.
After all, in 1994 Japan accepted tariffs on agricultural products with the exception of rice.
The WTO was established in 1995, following the trend of GATT.
The WTO has three main roles.
Creating rules for international trade, monitoring whether those rules are being followed, and resolving trade disputes between member countries and regions.
To fulfill this role, the WTO, as the supreme decision-making body, has a ministerial meeting, which is usually held every two years, and has contributed to the formation of an international economic order based on unanimous agreement. rice field.
The Doha Round was held in 2001 in Doha, the capital of Qatar, when the WTO was established.
However, due to widening economic disparities, conflicts of interest between developed and emerging countries will gradually intensify.
Since the mechanism for deciding things is unanimous in principle, it has been pointed out that "nothing is decided" meetings continue and "maybe we are in a malfunction".
At the ministerial meeting held in 2017, there was a great deal of disagreement between developed and emerging countries, and it was not possible to issue a ministerial declaration, which is an outcome document, and the statement was limited to the chairman's statement.
Recently, there has been a movement to create a "volunteer country meeting" between countries that share values and promote discussions.