Day 3

Day Three... Thursday 15th

 
On fisheries subsidies, we had another successful day. To start with, the top story on the front page of the International Herald Tribune focused on fisheries subsidies, with our high level press event as the topic of the first paragraph.

We also held our workshop (jointly with UNEP) at which turnout was excellent and where the Norwegian fisheries minister intervened from the floor to congratulate WWF on its work. In the afternoon, we were again featured in a panel discussion hosted by the International Center for Trade and Sustainable Development. In short, we are well on our way to meeting all of our goals for raising the profile of our work on fisheries subsidises at this ministerial.

Negotiations continue on environmental goods and services – which could potentially lead to liberalisation of trade in any everything from FSC timber to wind-turbines, and skis to yachts (as sustainable modes of transport!). The main stand-off is between the EU and India, with the EU wanting to develop a ‘list’ of such goods and services, and India wanting to take a ‘project-based’ approach. There are problems with both – and WWF is suggesting a ‘third way’.

The organisers of the Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong have done everything to make it immaculately aseptic. No queues anywhere. Enormous, modern meeting venues. And, especially, a wonderful system of ribbons of every colour for the access cards, identifying which “class” of delegate you belong to and, accordingly, where you have access and with whom you should mingle. We NGOs have orange ribbons. Then, there are for instance yellow, brown, pink – and red. Red means you are an Official Delegate; you Decide on Important Matters, and this ribbon gives you access everywhere… or almost.

We had spare invitation for a reception organised by the Hong Kong organising committee for NGOs, and asked a member of a government delegation to come along – with what we thought was his Magic Red Ribbon. But the guard at the entry turned him away. Was this the first time in WTO history that a government delegate was refused access to an NGO gathering, we wonder?