At a recent meeting, the chair of the World Trade Organization’s Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (SCM) Committee highlighted ongoing concerns about low compliance with subsidy notification obligations among WTO members. The Secretariat’s compendium on notification submission rates, which is updated twice annually, shows that many members are behind in submitting required notifications.
As of the meeting date, 113 members had not submitted their 2025 new and full subsidy notifications, which were due by June 30, 2025. Additionally, 80 members have not provided their 2023 notifications and 81 have yet to submit for 2021. Some members have never submitted these notifications or have not done so for several years.
The chair urged all members to submit complete notifications promptly. He emphasized that “all members rely on the collective effort to make notified information available” and encouraged those facing difficulties to contact the Secretariat for assistance. Nine WTO members echoed this call and praised the Secretariat’s technical support efforts.
During the session, the committee reviewed subsidy notifications from Cuba, Honduras, Jordan, Macao (China), New Zealand, Chinese Taipei, and Timor-Leste for 2025. Outstanding notifications from previous years were also examined, including those from Jordan for earlier cycles. Reviews continued on 2023 submissions from Albania, Australia, China, Eswatini, India, Kazakhstan and Norway as well as a 2019 notification from Russia.
The committee also reviewed legislative notifications concerning national subsidy laws submitted by Argentina, Iceland, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Türkiye, the United States and Viet Nam. Ongoing reviews included legislative updates from the European Union, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Solomon Islands.
Semi-annual reports on countervailing duty actions taken between January and June 2025 were considered from Australia, Canada, China, Colombia, European Union member states (EU), India, Peru, Türkiye,the United Kingdom (UK), United States (US) and Viet Nam. Notifications regarding preliminary and final countervailing duty actions were also reviewed from Australia,Brazil ,Canada ,the EU ,the UK ,and US . The chair reiterated “the need for regular and timely submissions of these reports to ensure ongoing transparency and effective review by the Committee.”
Another issue discussed was compliance with the December 31st ,2015 deadline for eliminating export subsidies under Article 27.4 of SCM Agreement by countries granted fast-track extensions . Of nineteen such countries ,only fifteen have provided final required notifications . The chair called on remaining four to comply without delay .
The committee adopted its report to the Council for Trade in Goods summarizing actions taken during this cycle along with discussions about possible future steps aimed at improving notification submission rates . Additional agenda items covered included GNP per capita calculations using established methodology ; France’s electric vehicle subsidies program ; UK ’s electric car grant ; alleged discriminatory US subsidies policies ; concerns over global subsidies/overcapacity ;and China’s technology equipment programme .
The next meetings of SCM Committee are scheduled for spring (week of April 27) and autumn (week of October 26) in 2026.