Nr. 061, 8. júlí 1999. Tillaga um afnám ríkisstyrkja í sjávarútvegi.
Fréttatilkynning
frá utanríkisráðuneytinu
Fastafulltrúi Íslands hjá Alþjóðaviðskiptastofnuninni í Genf (WTO), Benedikt Jónsson sendiherra, flutti í dag tillögu í aðalráði Alþjóðaviðskiptastofnunarinnar um afnám ríkisstyrkja í sjávarútvegi. Tillagan er svohljóðandi:
"Í fyrirhugaðri lotu viðskiptaviðræðna á vettvangi Alþjóðaviðskiptastofnunarinnar samþykkja aðildarríki að afnema ríkisstyrki sem leiða til ofveiði í ljósi þess að þeir fela í sér hömlur í viðskiptum, stuðla að óskynsamlegri nýtingu fiskistofna og rjúfa sjálfbæra þróun þeirra."
Tilgangurinn með tillöguflutningi þessum er að koma málinu á dagskrá næsta ráðherrafundar Alþjóðaviðskiptastofnunarinnar, sem haldinn verður í Seattle í lok þessa árs. Takist það munu viðræður um afnám ríkisstyrkja í sjávarútvegi verða eitt af viðfangsefnum næstu lotu viðskiptaviðræðna, en gert er ráð fyrir að ráðherrafundurinn samþykki að hleypa henni af stokkunum í upphafi næsta árs.
Íslensk stjórnvöld hafa unnið að þessu máli síðustu mánuði í náinni samvinnu við á annan tug ríkja sem aðild eiga að Alþjóðaviðskiptastofnuninni. Meðal ríkja, sem lýst hafa yfir stuðningi við tillögu Íslands, eru Ástralía, Argentína, Bandaríkin, Brasilía, Chile, Filippseyjar, Kanada, Noregur, Nýja-Sjáland, Perú og Tæland. Þá nýtur málefnið stuðnings Marokkó og Egyptalands.
Yfirlýsing fastafulltrúa, er hann mælti fyrir tillögunni, fylgir hjálögð.
Utanríkisráðuneytið
Reykjavík, 8. júlí 1999.
Fylgiskjal
General Council
Special Session 7 July 1999
Statement by Iceland introducing proposal on
Fisheries Subsidies
· Mr. Chairman
· A detailed discussion of the relationship between subsidies reform, trade and sustainable fisheries has taken place in the WTO Committee on Trade and Environment. The relationship has been regarded positive and there is a growing recognition of the need for governments to make a substantive contribution in this regard. Iceland therefore submits the following proposal contained in Document WT/ GC/W/229, which my delegation consider to be consistent with the growing interest in this issue.
· The proposal is as follows:
· That, as a part of the upcoming WTO negotiations, Members agree to eliminate subsidies that contribute to fisheries overcapacity, in view of the fact that they distort trade, seriously undermine sustainable utilisation of fish stocks and hamper sustainable development.
· Mr. Chairman.
· Allow me to reiterate a few points regarding the reasoning behind this proposal. There is a growing recognition that many subsidies affect the fisheries sector, impede sustainable development, distort trade and seriously undermine the possibilities for effective conservation and sustainable utilisation of fish stocks.
· Overcapacity of the global fishing fleet is, along with inadequate management regimes, the predominant cause of the depletion of fish stocks in many regions. It is generally recognised that government subsidies and other market distortions are primary factors in causing this overcapacity.
· The billions of dollars spent on subsidising unsustainable fisheries could easily be transformed into expenditures that would make a positive difference in a world plagued by sustainable development challenges.
· The encouragement of the use of fisheries resources beyond normal economic rates of exploitation also creates supply distortions that place downward pressures on world seafood prices and this affects the ability of all countries, but particularly developing countries to achieve adequate economic returns from their fisheries resources.
· Given the fact that the industrialised countries are responsible for the bulk of the subsidies granted to the global fisheries sector, the negative trade distorting effects of these subsidies affect first and foremost the fish-exporting developing countries. The removal of these subsidies would therefore benefit the developing countries most and their prospect of sustainable development.
· Therefore, elimination of subsidies that contribute to fisheries overexploitation would represent a clear "win-win" achievement in the area of trade, the environment and sustainable development.
· A number of Members have already expressed their interests in and support for this cause at different fora inside and outside the WTO. For that Iceland is grateful and is pleased to invite any additional Members to join us in cooperation and support for this matter.
Thank you Mr. Chairman.