What Changed
- The Chair reported a drop in subsidy notification submission rates to 44% for the 2025 cycle, with 93 members missing the 30 June 2025 deadline.
- The Committee reviewed active subsidy notifications and semi-annual countervailing duty reports from major trading entities, including China, the EU, Japan, the UK, and the US.
- Key agenda discussions focused on France's electric vehicle subsidy program, subsidies and overcapacity, and subsidies and the level playing field.
International trade law professionals, government officials, and businesses operating across WTO jurisdictions are directly affected by the ongoing review of national subsidy practices and countervailing duty actions conducted by the WTO Committee on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures. During its meeting, the Chair drawn attention to the WTO Secretariat's updated compendium on notification submission rates from 30 September 2026. As of the meeting, only 73 WTO members had submitted their 2025 new and full subsidy notifications, which were due on 30 June 2025, while 93 members had failed to do so. The Chair emphasized a long-term decline in submission rates, dropping from 77% for the 1995 cycle to 44% for 2025.
To address capacity constraints and domestic coordination challenges, the Secretariat is providing technical support to developing and least-developed-country members from 10 to 12 November 2026, though only nine of 33 invited members have indicated participation. Looking ahead, the next new and full subsidy notifications are due by 30 June 2027. Additionally, the Chair announced a webinar for early 2027 focusing on artificial intelligence tools to assist with notification preparation. The Committee also requested the Secretariat to prepare a document on E-agenda usage since 2024 ahead of its April 2027 meeting.
The Committee reviewed 2025 subsidy notifications from members including Chile, Costa Rica, the European Union (pertaining to Croatia, Luxembourg, Portugal, and Romania), The Gambia, Honduras, Japan, Jordan, Liechtenstein, Mauritius, Mexico, Montenegro, the Philippines, Thailand, and Uruguay. It continued reviewing earlier notifications from China, the EU, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Norway, Republic of Korea, and the Russian Federation. Semi-annual reports on countervailing duty actions (January to June 2026) were reviewed for countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the EU, India, the UK, the US, and Viet Nam. The Committee also discussed specific agenda items, including France's electric vehicle subsidies (sponsored by the Republic of Korea), subsidies and overcapacity (sponsored by Australia, Canada, the EU, Japan, the UK, and the US), and subsidies and the level playing field (sponsored by China). Finally, four of the 19 members that received Article 27.4 fast-track extensions have yet to provide final notifications regarding the 31 December 2015 export subsidy elimination deadline.
Who May Be Affected
Government trade representatives, international trade law specialists, exporters, and businesses impacted by subsidies or countervailing duty enforcement across WTO member jurisdictions.
Cross-Border Context
Directly concerns trade relations, transparency obligations, and regulatory scrutiny involving China, the European Union, Switzerland (via Liechtenstein/EFTA context), and other major WTO member states.
What to check next
- Formal meeting minutes published by the WTO Secretariat for full details of individual member interventions.
- Circulation of the Secretariat's report on E-agenda usage prior to the April 2027 SCM Committee meeting.
This article provides general information and does not constitute legal advice. Consult the official text and obtain advice appropriate to your circumstances where needed.