{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1590829,
        "msgid": "indonesia-says-the-uniform-wto-fishing-subsidies-ban-is-unfair-1772723796",
        "date": "2026-03-05 21:29:18",
        "title": "Indonesia says the uniform WTO fishing subsidies ban is unfair",
        "author": "",
        "source": "ANTARA_ID",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Trade",
        "summary": "Indonesia argues that a one-size-fits-all ban on fisheries subsidies under the WTO would harm developing nations where small-scale fishers predominate, emphasising subsidies as social safety nets and a tool for food security, and calling for alignment with national law including Law No. 7 of 2016; negotiations for the AFS Phase II address overcapacity and overfishing with exemptions for LDCs and de minimis states.",
        "content": "<p>Subsidies in developing countries are not intended to massively\nexpand fleets or distort global markets, but function as a social safety\nnet, protection from poverty, and an instrument of food security. In a\ndiscussion in Jakarta on Thursday, Trade Negotiator Senior Expert at the\nDirectorate of WTO Negotiations, Ministry of Trade, Jeremy Kumajas,\nstressed that rules that are \u2018one size fits all\u2019 do not reflect\ndifferences in the characteristics of national fishing sectors.\nAccording to Jeremy, around 90 percent of Indonesian fishermen are\nsmall-scale and remain heavily reliant on operational subsidies such as\nfuel for fishing. \u2018Subsidies in developing countries are not intended to\nmassively expand fleets or distort global markets, but function as a\nsocial safety net, protection from poverty, and an instrument of food\nsecurity,\u2019 he said. In the first phase (AFS I), WTO members agreed to\nban subsidies for illegal fishing practices, subsidies for stocks that\nhave been overfished, and subsidies for fishing operations on the high\nseas not under the management of regional fisheries management\norganisations. Indonesia has yet to ratify the first phase of the AFS\nand says it needs to ensure the agreement aligns with national policy,\nincluding the mandate of Law No.\u00a07 of 2016 on the Protection and\nEmpowerment of Fishermen. Meanwhile, negotiations for the second phase\nof the AFS are ongoing, focusing on regulating subsidies that contribute\nto overcapacity and overfishing, including support for fishing fleets\nsuch as subsidies for fuel, vessel construction, and modernisation of\ngear. He revealed that, in the latest draft, the scheme includes full\nexemptions for least developed countries (LDCs) from the ban on\nsubsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing. In addition,\ndeveloping countries with a share of global catch production below 0.8\npercent or in the de minimis category would remain permitted to maintain\ncertain subsidies. Developing countries are also proposed to retain the\nability to subsidise fishing activities in exclusive economic zones\n(EEZs) or in areas under the competence of regional fisheries management\norganisations (RFMOs), during a transitional period and subject to\nnotification obligations. Indonesia, he said, would only ratify the\nfisheries subsidies agreement if the regime is comprehensive, including\nbans on subsidies for illegal fishing practices, overfishing and\novercapacity, as well as subsidies for distant-water fleets. \u2018In\naddition, we will also maintain national policy space so that the\ngovernment can continue to provide support or essential social subsidies\nfor small-scale and coastal fishermen,\u2019 said Jeremy.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesia-says-the-uniform-wto-fishing-subsidies-ban-is-unfair-1772723796",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}