Icelandic Ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Einar Gunnarsson, who has been chairing negotiations on a deal to end harmful fisheries subsidies around the world, has signaled that he will step back from his role in the talks if delegates can not agree on a deal before the year ends.
Gunnarsson recently said at the WTO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, that he hopes a draft text aimed at limiting subsidies that lead to overcapacity and overfishing could be approved at the WTO’s General Council meeting coming up from 16 to 17 December.
One major holdout in the talks has been India, which was the key opponent of getting a deal over the finish line in July, claiming that it was holding out to protect its small-scale fishers …
