SEAFDEC Webinar on Fisheries Subsidies: Southeast Asian Region Perspectives

SEAFDEC Webinar on Fisheries Subsidies: Southeast Asian Region Perspectives

 SEAFDEC Secretariat, ZOOM platform

Date: 23-24 September 2020 (13.00-15.00h, UTC+7)

Background

Referred to the SEAFDEC Council Meeting in 2018, the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) was requested to find the ways and means of addressing the issues on fisheries subsidies for small-scale fisheries in the region as soon as possible. To response of the Council Meeting, SEAFDEC organized the Regional Technical Consultation on International Fisheries-related Issues on 20-22 June 2018. The Meeting agreed that the discussion on fisheries subsidies should take into consideration the fact that large portion of catch in the region is multi-species, fisheries subsidy should therefore be considered by types of fishing gear, and not by species, and also fisheries subsidies should not be considered as standalone issue, as it has close linkage with other initiatives e.g. sustainability of the fish stocks. The Meeting also suggested SEAFDEC to develop the ASEAN common position on fisheries subsidies for adoption by AMAF to be reflected at the WTO forum upon consideration by the SEAFDEC Council.

In this connection, SEAFDEC plans to organize the webinar on Fisheries Subsidies: Southeast Asian Region Perspective to discuss among SEAFDEC Member Countries (MCs) on possibility to come up with a set of recommendations and the ASEAN common position on fishery subsidies. SEAFDEC also brings together the internationals organizations to present the brief introduction on fisheries subsidies in the World Trade Organization (WTO) and also update information on the status of the negotiate agenda of WTO on fisheries subsidies. The Webinar also provide the platform for SEAFDEC MCs to share view in the national level on the impacts of WTO rules on fisheries subsidies and to discussion this issue together.

Date/time: 23-24 September 2020, 13:30-15:30h (UTC+7)

Objectives

• To provide updated information on the negotiating agenda on fisheries subsidies; and
• To discuss among SEAFDEC MCs on possibility to come up with a set of recommendations and ASEAN common position on fisheries subsidies.

Envisaged outputs/outcomes

1. Issues and concerns of SEAFDEC MCs on the negotiating agenda on fisheries subsidies of WTO; and
2. Draft ASEAN common position on fisheries subsidies.

Tentative Program

Day-1 (Open Session, 23 September 2020, 13:00-15:00h)  (Check your local time) registration here!
13:00-13:15h	Opening Ceremony   – Opening Remarks by SEAFDEC Secretary-General – Introduction of the Webinar
13:15-13:45h John Finn	World Trade Organization (WTO): Brief introduction to fisheries subsidies in the WTO, SDG14.6; and update information on the status of the negotiating agenda of WTO on fisheries subsidies
13:45-14:15h Marcio Castro de Souza	FAO Headquarter: International Fish Trade and the main FAO Instruments in support of the WTO negotiations on fisheries subsidies
14:15-14:30h Alice Tipping	International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD): Practical steps that WTO members (especially developing States in Southeast Asia, if information available) could consider to implement fisheries subsidy reform.
14:30-14:45h Katsuma Miyauchi	National views on possible impacts of WTO rules on fisheries subsidies Japan’s Proposals on WTO fisheries subsidies negotiation
14:45-15:00h	Conclusion
Day-2 (Closed Session, 24 September 2020, 13:00-15:00h)
13:00-13:15h	Introduction of the Webinar  SEAFDEC Secretariat presents the introduction and shares the results of the conclusion from Open Session
13:15-14:15h	Issues and concerns of SEAFDEC MCs SEAFDEC MCs present issues and concerns with regard to the finalization of the legal text for fisheries subsidies agreement of the WTO.
14:15-14:45h	Discussion among SEAFDEC MCs on legal text for fisheries subsidies agreement of WTO Discussion among SEAFDEC MCs possible to come up with: (1) issues and concerns of SEAFDEC MCs on the negotiating agenda on fisheries subsidies; and (2) draft ASEAN common positions on fisheries subsidies.
14:45-15:00h	Conclusion and Way Forward

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Biographies of Speakers, please click here. (New)