AGENDA POINT 1: SURVEILLANCE OF IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS ADOPTED BY THE DSB

B. UNITED STATES – SECTION 110(5) OF THE US COPYRIGHT ACT: STATUS REPORT BY THE UNITED STATES (WT/DS160/24/ADD.208)

• We thank the United States for its status report and its statement today.

• We refer to our previous statements. We would like to resolve this case as soon as possible.

AGENDA POINT 1: SURVEILLANCE OF IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS ADOPTED BY THE DSB

C.     EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES – MEASURES AFFECTING THE APPROVAL AND MARKETING OF BIOTECH PRODUCTS: STATUS REPORT BY THE EUROPEAN UNION (WT/DS291/37/ADD.171)

• We recall that the EU approval system is not covered by the DSB’s recommendations and rulings.

• The EU continues to propose for vote authorisations for genetically modified organisms that, in the European Food Safety Authority’s risk assessment, have been concluded to be safe.

• On 27 October 2022 the European Commission presented to the Standing Committee a draft decision renewing the authorisation of genetically modified soybean A5547-127. The vote resulted in ‘no opinion’ and the draft measure will be referred to the Appeal Committee of 8 December 2022.

AGENDA POINT 3: APPELLATE BODY APPOINTMENTS

• The European Union refers to its previous statements on this issue and thanks all Members that have co-sponsored the proposal to launch the appointment processes.

• Since 11 December 2019, the WTO no longer guarantees access to a binding, two-tier, independent and impartial resolution of trade disputes.

• A fully functioning WTO dispute settlement system is critical for a rules-based multilateral trading system.

• This is why the most urgent area of WTO reform involves finding an agreed basis to restore such a system and proceeding to the appointment of the members of the Appellate Body. This task should be addressed as a priority.

• As we have consistently noted, WTO Members have a shared responsibility to resolve this issue as soon as possible, and to fill the outstanding vacancies as required by Article 17.2 of the DSU.

• The EU agrees that a meaningful reform is needed in order to achieve this objective.

• The EU will continue to engage constructively in finding, through reform, a lasting solution to the current situation regarding appointments to the Appellate Body. There is a pressing need to advance work on this.

• The EU is participating in the ongoing discussion process in Geneva. In line with the ‘outcome document’ concerning the Twelfth Ministerial Conference, the objective of any discussions should be to have a fully and well-functioning dispute settlement system accessible to all Members by 2024.

Regarding Ukraine/Russia

• The EU condemns in the strongest possible terms the Russian Federation's unprovoked and unjustified military aggression in Ukraine. This aggression grossly violates international law and undermines international security and stability. War crimes committed against Ukrainians and the continuous destruction of civilian infrastructure are gross violations of international law.

• The EU similarly condemns – and unequivocally rejects – the illegal attempted annexation by Russia of some regions of Ukraine. Russia’s unilateral decisions deliberately violate the UN Charter and blatantly disregard the rules-based international order.

• We call on the Russian Federation to end immediately its acts of aggression, to withdraw its troops from Ukraine and to fully respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence within its internationally recognized borders.

• The European Union will stand firmly by Ukraine and its people for as long as it takes.