Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)

Venue of the World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference of 2024

The World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference of 2024 (MC13) was the thirteenth such conference held by the World Trade Organization (WTO). It took place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, from February 26 to March 1, 2024.^[1]

Background

The WTO Ministerial Conference is the highest decision-making body of the WTO and is held at least every two years. MC13 was held against the backdrop of several challenges facing the global trading system, including:

• Rising trade tensions between major economies
• The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic
• The need to address issues such as climate change and digital trade

Key Issues Discussed

• Reform of the WTO dispute settlement system: Members discussed proposals to reform the WTO's dispute settlement system, which has been facing challenges due to blockages in the Appellate Body. No consensus was reached on specific reforms, but members agreed to continue discussions.
• Disciplines on fisheries subsidies: Members aimed to build on the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies adopted at MC12 in 2022 by negotiating new disciplines to eliminate harmful fisheries subsidies. Negotiations were ultimately unsuccessful, but members committed to continue working on the issue.
• Integration of the Investment Facilitation Agreement: Members considered the possibility of integrating the plurilateral Investment Facilitation Agreement, which has been signed by a limited number of WTO members, into the broader WTO legal framework. No decision was taken on this issue.
• Extension of the e-commerce moratorium: Members decided to extend the moratorium on imposing customs duties on electronic transmissions, which has been in place since 1998. The decision was extended for a period of four years.
• Accession of new members: The conference formally endorsed the accession of Comoros and Timor-Leste to the WTO, increasing its membership to 166.

Outcomes

The MC13 was ultimately extended by one day to allow for further negotiations on key issues. While no major breakthroughs were achieved, the conference did provide a platform for members to discuss their positions and identify areas for potential future progress.