The World Trade Organization published the agenda for the June 30 meeting of the Dispute Settlement Body, which includes U.S. status reports on the implementation of recommendations adopted by the DSB on antidumping measures on certain hot-rolled steel products from Japan; antidumping and countervailing measures on large residential washers from South Korea; certain methodologies and their application to antidumping proceedings involving China; and Section 110(5) of the U.S. Copyright Act. A status report is also expected from Indonesia on measures relating to the import of horticultural products, animals and animal products, and from the EU on measures affecting the approval and marketing of biotech products.

Trade ministers meeting at the World Trade Organization in Geneva agreed to a partial solution to harmful subsidies for fishing fleets, an intellectual property waiver for Covid vaccines, and to allow sale of commodities to the World Food Program even if the product is otherwise subject to export restrictions. The countries that attended the ministerial conference also agreed to extend the moratorium on tariffs on electronic transmissions.

The World Trade Organization extended the 12th Ministerial Conference until June 16, to "facilitate outcomes on the main issues under discussion," the WTO announced June 15. The closing session will now begin at 3 p.m. Geneva time June 16. Delegations are trying to reach agreement on fisheries subsidies, a COVID-19 intellectual property waiver and a continuation of the moratorium on e-commerce duties.

The Philippines and Thailand signed a bilateral "Understanding on Agreed Procedures Towards a Comprehensive Settlement of the Dispute in Thailand -- Customs and Fiscal Measures on Cigarettes from the Philippines (DS371)," the World Trade Organization announced. The document marks the success of a facilitator-aided process that kicked off in 2021 and reflects both countries' will to bring their customs valuation practices into compliance with WTO and domestic law commitments.

The World Trade Organization must renew the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions (see 2205190049) at the ministerial conference in Geneva next week, said John Neuffer, CEO of the Semiconductor Industry Association. In a June 9 SIA blog post, Neuffer said the moratorium is at “serious risk” from some WTO members who are in favor of the increased tax revenue the duties could bring.

Madagascar started a safeguard investigation on paints, the country told the World Trade Organization's Committee on Safeguards June 3, the WTO announced. Madagascar said parties wishing to request a questionnaire to participate in the investigation must request one from the ANMCC, the country's trade remedy regulator, within 30 days from the June 1 start date of the investigation. The deadline for responses to the questionnaire and comments is July 12.

World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said members of an agriculture negotiating meeting for delegation chiefs should adopt three draft texts ahead of the 12th Ministerial Conference, the WTO announced. The texts contain agricultural trade reforms, a draft ministerial declaration on trade and food security, and a draft ministerial declaration exempting food bought by the U.N.'s World Food Program from export bans. With the MC12 looming -- set to be held June 12-15 -- Okonjo-Iweala said the delegations should target their suggestions on key elements of the texts to allow for the committee's quickest adoption.

A week before U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai heads to Geneva for the World Trade Organization's ministerial conference, she said she's excited for what the meeting could bring, though she avoided predicting that either an intellectual property waiver for COVID-19 vaccines would be approved, or that the 20-year fisheries negotiations would be closed.

World Trade Organization members adopted two panel reports at the May 31 meeting of the Dispute Settlement Body, the WTO said May 31. The reports concern Mexico's challenge to Costa Rica's restrictions on fresh avocado imports from Mexico and Turkey's challenge to the EU's safeguard measure restricting certain steel product imports. Neither report is being appealed to the defunct Appellate Body.

The World Trade Organization published the agenda for the May 31 meeting of the Dispute Settlement Body. It includes U.S. status reports on the implementation of recommendations adopted by the DSB on the following: antidumping measures on certain hot-rolled steel products from Japan; antidumping and countervailing measures on large residential washers from South Korea; certain methodologies and their application to antidumping proceedings involving China; and Section 110(5) of the U.S. Copyright Act. A status report is also expected from Indonesia on measures relating to the import of horticultural products, animals and animal products, and from the EU on measures affecting the approval and marketing of biotech products.