DG OKONJO-IWEALA AND IPU SECRETARY GENERAL CHUNGONG URGE PARLIAMENTS TO RATIFY WTO FISHERIES AGREEMENT
WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Inter-Parliamentary Union Secretary-General Martin Chungong are urging parliaments around the world to accelerate the ratification of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, the first WTO Agreement to focus on environmental sustainability. Given that 99 WTO Members have already deposited their instruments of acceptance, only 12 more are needed for the Agreement to enter into force.
Adopted at the WTO's Twelfth Ministerial Conference (MC12) in June 2022, the Agreement targets some of the most harmful forms of fisheries subsidies, including those that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, the depletion of overfished stocks and unregulated high seas fishing.
“We are on the verge of reaching an important milestone,” said Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. "This agreement is not just about preserving deteriorating fish stocks: it is about ensuring people's livelihoods and food security. It is about addressing issues affecting the global commons — and showing that the multilateral trading system produces global public goods. Twelve more acceptances stand in the way of its entry into force. Now is the time for remaining parliaments to act. The goal is to improve economic and environmental sustainability — it would be great if we got there." time for the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference, which will take place next month in France.”
IPU Secretary General Martin Chungong added: “Parliaments are the vital link between global agreements and national action. By ratifying this agreement, they can help restore marine ecosystems, support livelihoods and show that multilateralism works.”
This joint call to action builds on the letter sent by the IPU Secretary General and the WTO Director-General in September 2023, which encouraged parliamentarians to participate in the campaign to promote the ratification of the Fisheries Subsidies Agreement.
The 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference, to be held June 9-13 in Nice, France, represents an excellent opportunity for the ratification and entry into force of the Agreement, providing political momentum to address the rapid deterioration of fish stocks.
Rapid entry into force of the Agreement would send a strong signal of global determination to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 14.6, which aims to eliminate harmful fisheries subsidies and promote the sustainable use of marine resources.
The 2022 Agreement has already shown that WTO Members can achieve meaningful multilateral results, including in a context of geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty. By completing ongoing negotiations on additional disciplines to address subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, efforts to ensure long-term sustainability would be strengthened.
The Agreement is of particular importance to coastal communities in small, vulnerable economies (SVEs) and least developed countries (LDCs), which rely heavily on marine resources for food security, employment and economic resilience. Many SVEs and LDCs have already ratified the Agreement and recognize its potential to preserve marine ecosystems and promote equity in ocean governance. Even landlocked Members find the Agreement useful as it helps address food insecurity. The full list of Members having deposited their instrument of acceptance of the Agreement is available here.
The WTO Fisheries Financing Mechanism (Fisheries Fund) is ready to become operational upon entry into force of the Agreement. In collaboration with international partners, the Fund will carry out technical assistance and capacity building activities for developing economies that have ratified the Agreement. More information is available here.
The WTO Secretariat and the IPU reaffirm their commitment to working with national and regional parliaments through technical briefings, awareness-raising activities and targeted support to ensure the rapid ratification and effective implementation of the Agreement.
