WTO CHIEF: MC13 WORK NOT OVER: WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala vowed to use texts and agreements reached last week to pave the way for future negotiations focused on fisheries subsidies and agriculture. The message comes amid transatlantic frustration on the heels of a historically lackluster 13th Ministerial Conference. “When we return to Geneva ... the members will better understand what each other's concerns and reservations are right from the top, from the ministers, and I think that will facilitate now moving in a better way than it did before,” Okonjo-Iweala said at a closing press conference. The comments mark an effort from the WTO’s trade chief to defend the role of the global coalition after a week of heavy negotiations, which underscored pervasive disagreements among the economies largely governed by consensus. Bright spot: While WTO countries managed to renew for two years a freeze against collecting tariffs on digitally traded goods and other “electronic transmissions,” providing a temporary reprieve for businesses, the loose coalition of economies was unable to reach deals to curb harmful fishing subsidies and establish new agricultural trade discussions. “I see negotiations as a process. Of course, you know, it would have been great if we could finally close that,” Okonjo-Iweala acknowledged, referring to fisheries and agricultural talks. GOP rips MC13: Rep. Darin LaHood (R-Ill.), co-chair of the digital trade caucus and member of the trade subcommittee, praised the extension of the e-commerce moratorium, but underscored his disappointment over the WTO's inability to nail down more agreements. “The overall lack of consensus at the WTO ministerial on substantive free and fair trade priorities is concerning, and this threatens the rules-based, free market climate that allows the American economy to thrive,” LaHood told Morning Trade. LaHood also hailed a decision not to expand the Covid-19 TRIPS waiver to diagnostics and therapeutics during the ministerial as a “positive step to protect American innovators from the [Chinese Communist Party] exploiting U.S. technology and intellectual property.” Rep. Michelle Steel (R-Calif.) told Morning Trade she is “very disappointed” that the WTO failed to reach a fisheries compromise that could have cracked down on China's use of forced labor in its seafood industry. “The U.S. should never have any part in allowing forced labor to infect our supply chains,” she added. Brussels, too, did not hide its disappointment. “The EU regrets that, despite willingness by a large majority of WTO members, it was not possible to find compromises on these issues,” the European Commission said in a statement released Friday, referring to the fisheries and agricultural disputes. Doug and Camille Gijs have more on how negotiations derailed. US-TAIWAN AG TALKS TO INTENSIFY: Washington's trade chief Katherine Tai and her Taiwanese counterpart, John Deng, agreed on the sidelines of the WTO’s MC13 to intensify talks on labor, agricultural and environmental issues under the 21st century trade agreement. According to Taiwan’s readout, the two sides agreed last week to instruct negotiators to "accelerate" discussions on aspects of labor, agriculture and the environment. The readout indirectly referenced China’s practices and said the two sides discussed overproduction in industries and subsidies granted by non-market economies, a move poised to anger Beijing, which considers Taiwan part of its own territory. Deng’s office also said his government is encouraging certain other countries to "refer to the content of the Taiwan-US Agreement and sign a legally effective trade agreement with Taiwan, so as to promote the international trade system towards a more fair and open direction." The U.S. trade office said Tai and Deng in Abu Dhabi shared a “constructive dialogue regarding bilateral issues and issues pertaining to the WTO.” YELLEN EYES GROWING TRADE WITH CHILE: U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said rising demand for lithium could boost U.S. imports from the South American country, during a recent tour of a U.S. lithium producer in northern Chile.
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