Subsidy WatchIssue 31, May 2009


  • The WTO fisheries negotiations: Interviews with Barbados and New Zealand

    The Doha Declaration—the basis for the World Trade Organization’s current round of multilateral trade negotiations—calls on Members to “clarify and improve WTO disciplines on fisheries subsidies, taking into account the importance of this sector to developing countries.”  As the talks have progressed, WTO Members have grouped together in line with a few key negotiating positions.  Certain countries, including New Zealand and the United States, have pushed for broad prohibitions on fisheries subsidies, in light of the fact that much of the world’s fish stocks are severely deple

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Also in this issue:

Analysis

  • How much oil does ethanol displace?

    Lobbists everywhere have a reputation for accentuating the positive and downplaying the negative. That is what they are paid for. But the main industry association representing subsidized U.S. ethanol producers, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), often exceeds the industry standard in expressing its exuberance for the benefits that its members'product-corn-based ethanol-has for the U.S. economy.

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News

  • U.S. renewable energy tax credit pays pulp and paper mills to do business as usual

    American pulp and paper companies have begun increasing their use of fossil fuels in order to become eligible for a renewable-energy tax credit, while also reaping millions of dollars in tax rebates.

    The renewable-energy tax credit in question was originally meant to encourage transport companies to blend fossil fuels with alternative fuels to power their vehicles. However, the provision was amended in 2005 to allow for non-transportation use of the credit, allowing companies using blended fuel for other purposes to apply for the tax credit.

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  • Major Chilean transparency law goes into effect

    Chile introduced a major piece of legislation in April that requires all branches of government to publish up-to-date information on expenditures, salaries and subsidies.

    The legislation, entitled ‘Ley de Transparencia de la Función Pública y Acceso a la Información del Estado’ (Law for the Transparency of Public Administration and Access to State Information),  forms part of a larger government accountability agenda which was announced by president Michelle Bachelet in January of 2007. 

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  • Mexican Agriculture Ministry signals new strategy to phase-out direct agriculture subsidies

    The government of Mexico is preparing to phase-out direct subsidies to farmers over the next ten years, according to an announcement made by the Ministry of Agriculture (SAGARPA).  SAGARPA will instead focus its resources on providing credit and financing to Mexican farmers to help them develop their businesses.

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Studies

  • Biofuels subsidy studies in Canada and the U.S.; Subsidy transparency in Argentina; Farm subsidy poll in the U.S.

    Biofuels: At what cost in Canada?

    A new report by the Global Subsidies Initiative (GSI) quantifies government support for biofuels in Canada, and analyzes whether this expenditure represents good value for Canadian taxpayers.

    Biofuels – At What Cost? Government support for ethanol and biodiesel in Canada is the latest in a series of reports addressing subsidies for biofuels in Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, Indonesia, Malaysia, Switzerland and the United States.

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  • Call for Proposals: Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform

    The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is conducting a study on fossil fuel subsidies as part of its Global Subsidies Initiative (GSI). The GSI is dedicated to research and awareness building on government subsidies and their impacts on sustainable development.

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