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WTO's Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies Enters into Force, Promoting Global Sustainable Marine Development

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The World Trade Organization's (WTO) Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies officially entered into force on September 15, 2025, marking a significant milestone in global governance and environmental sustainability. The Agreement, adopted at the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference in June 2022, requires the elimination of subsidies for illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, overfished populations, and unregulated high seas fishing. This implementation will promote global sustainable marine development, ensure biodiversity, and improve fish populations.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Agreement officially entered into force on September 15, 2025, after four WTO members—Brazil, Kenya, Vietnam, and Tonga—submitted their instruments of ratification to the WTO, bringing the total number of ratifying members to the statutory requirement.
  • The Agreement calls for the elimination of subsidies for IUU fishing, overfished populations, and unregulated high seas fishing, and incorporates fisheries management elements such as fisheries law enforcement, resource sustainability assessments, policy transparency, and international cooperation.
  • The implementation of the Agreement will encourage WTO members to scientifically and rationally plan fisheries subsidies, improve fisheries management, and the ability to restore fish stocks, enhance global fishery resources, promote sustainable development of the global ocean, and safeguard biodiversity, fisher livelihoods, and food security.
  • China ratified the Agreement on June 27, 2023, becoming the first major WTO member to complete the ratification process, and will earnestly fulfill its obligations after the Agreement enters into force.
  • The Agreement represents the longest negotiation period of any WTO agreement, taking 21 years to conclude, and is the second new multilateral agreement concluded in the WTO's 30-year history and the first WTO agreement to achieve environmental sustainability goals.
  • Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala stated that the entry into force of the Agreement is a landmark event in global governance and an important public good provided by the multilateral trading system to address global challenges.

Statistics:

  • 4 WTO members—Brazil, Kenya, Vietnam, and Tonga—submitted their instruments of ratification to the WTO, bringing the total number of ratifying members to the statutory requirement.
  • The Agreement was adopted at the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference in June 2022.
  • The negotiations of the Agreement took 21 years to conclude.
  • The Agreement is the second new multilateral agreement concluded in the WTO's 30-year history.
  • The first major WTO member to complete the ratification process is China, with a ratification date of June 27, 2023.

Sources:

  • Minister of Commerce of the People's Republic of China
  • WTO General Council
  • Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
  • WTO Ministerial Conference
  • United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals

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