Guatemala formally accepted the World Trade Organization Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies on March 10, bringing the number of countries that have accepted the deal to 92. The WTO needs 19 more countries to accept to get to two-thirds of the membership, the threshold for the agreement to take effect.
China announced retaliatory tariffs this month against Canada for its duties on Chinese-made electric vehicles and Chinese steel and aluminum products, saying the Canadian measures “seriously violate” World Trade Organization rules and are “discriminatory.” Beijing will impose a 100% tariff on Canadian rapeseed oil, oil cake and peas, and a 25% tariff on Canadian aquatic products and pork, according to an unofficial translation of a March 8 notice from the Customs Tariff Commission of China’s State Council. The duties take effect March 20.
Canada opened a dispute at the World Trade Organization on March 5 to challenge the new U.S.-imposed 25% tariff on all non-energy goods and 10% tariff on energy goods from Canada, claiming that the measure violates the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade "as well as the WTO's Trade Facilitation Agreement." Canada said that the U.S. measures "appear to be inconsistent with the United States' obligations" under GATT and TFA provisions.
British and Japanese ministers last week discussed export controls on critical technologies, supply chain issues, the World Trade Organization and other trade topics during the second U.K.-Japan Strategic Economic Policy and Trade Dialogue.
North Macedonia formally accepted the World Trade Organization Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies on Feb. 28, bringing the number of countries that have accepted the deal to 91. The WTO needs 20 more countries to accept to get to two-thirds of the membership, the threshold for the agreement to take effect.
The EU and India held the second meeting of the EU-India Trade and Technology Council on Feb. 28, where working groups discussed critical technologies, supply chains, a possible trade agreement and more. The trade working group specifically spoke about “best practices in the screening of Foreign Direct Investments,” and they “strengthened their commitment towards the multilateral trading system as an anchor in the current challenging geopolitical context.” They also spoke about World Trade Organization reform, the EU’s upcoming carbon tax on certain imports and diversifying suppliers. The next meeting will be held in 2026.
The World Trade Organization Dispute Settlement Body agreed during its Feb. 24 meeting to establish a dispute panel on China's request to review Turkey's measures on electric vehicles and other types of vehicles from China. China's first request for a panel was blocked at the Jan. 27 DSB meeting. Following China's renewed effort to seek a dispute panel, Turkey said it's concerned that "China is making such a request before all possible bilateral consultations are exhausted," since the dispute concerns a "major sector that has been facing strong challenges for many years due to uncompetitive practices, subsidization and excess capacity," the WTO said.
The World Trade Organization's published agenda for the Dispute Settlement Body's Feb. 24 meeting includes a request from China to establish a panel in its dispute against Turkey's measures on electric vehicles and other types of vehicles from China.
Ethiopia reaffirmed its commitment to "accelerating its accession process" to the World Trade Organization with aims to conclude talks by the 14th Ministerial Conference in March 2026, the WTO announced. WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali and the country's steering committee on WTO access at the African Union Summit on Feb. 16 to discuss ramping up accession negotiations, the WTO said.
Taiwan formally accepted the World Trade Organization Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies Feb. 18, bringing the number of countries that have accepted the deal to 90. The WTO needs 21 more countries to accept to get to two-thirds of the membership, the threshold for the agreement to take effect.