A dispute settlement panel at the World Trade Organization on March 5 found that the EU's measures on palm oil and oil palm crop-based biofuels issued under its Renewable Energy Directive are generally compatible with the bloc's WTO commitments, but that elements of the policies violate global trade rules. The panel also weighed in on similar French and Lithuanian measures on the relevant products.

South Africa launched a safeguard investigation on flat-rolled products of iron, non-alloy steel or other alloy steel, the country told the World Trade Organization's committee on safeguards on Feb. 29. South Africa said interested parties must make their submissions within a 20-day period after the start of the investigation on Feb. 23.

World Trade Organization members at the body's 13th Ministerial Conference decided to extend the moratorium on e-commerce duties until MC14 or March 31, 2026, whichever comes first, the WTO announced at the conclusion of the ministerial. They also agreed to conduct "period reviews on the E-commerce Work Programme" with the goal of "presenting recommendations for action to the Ministerial Conference."

The World Trade Organization extended the 13th Ministerial Conference by one day to "facilitate outcomes," the WTO announced. The conference, which was set to end Feb. 29, was extended to March 1 following consultations by WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, MC13 Chair Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi and minister facilitators.

Forty-eight World Trade Organization members adopted a "comprehensive plan" at the 13th Ministerial Conference to try to phase out or eliminate harmful fossil fuel subsidies, the WTO announced Feb. 27. The members, including countries in South America, Europe and the Pacific Islands, hope to make progress on the effort this year and next ahead of the next ministerial conference, the WTO said. The effort, called the Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform initiative, aims to boost transparency surrounding fossil fuel subsidies, "tackle crisis support measures," and identify key fossil fuel subsidy types and different ways to "reform, reduce and eliminate them."

The six co-cordinators of the World Trade Organization's Dialogue on Plastics Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade outlined several "trade-related actions" countries should take to address the environmental, health and economic impacts of plastics pollution, the WTO announced Feb. 27. The co-coordinators -- Australia, Barbados, China, Ecuador, Fiji and Morocco -- released the text as part of the 13th Ministerial Conference.

The Philippines accepted the World Trade Organization's agreement on fisheries subsidies, the WTO announced this week. Seventy members have accepted the deal, which is 40 shy of the two-thirds mark needed for full adoption.

The majority of World Trade Organization members issued a joint declaration Feb. 25 to mark the "finalization of the Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement," the WTO announced at the start of the 13th Ministerial Conference. The 123 ministers who issued the declaration represent three-quarters of the WTO membership.

All World Trade Organization members accepted the WTO membership terms of Comoros and Timor-Leste at the start of the 13th Ministerial Conference this week, the WTO announced. Both nations will now send their protocols for ratification to their legislative assemblies and will officially become members within 30 days of submitting notice of ratification to the WTO. After this is completed, 166 nations will belong to the WTO, with 22 more nations seeking to join, "including a sizeable contingent from the Arab world," the WTO said.

Eight more World Trade Organization members accepted the fisheries subsidies agreement at the start of the 13th Ministerial Conference this week, the WTO said. Sixty-nine members have so far accepted the deal and 40 more are needed for ratification; the WTO said one more member is expected to accept the deal during MC13. The newest countries to adopt the agreement are Brunei, Chad, Malaysia, Norway, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Togo and Turkey. WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said negotiations also are ongoing on a second fisheries deal, adding that passing both agreements would "really put WTO members at the forefront of action on sustainability of our oceans and would safeguard the livelihoods of the 260 million people who depend on these oceans."