World Trade Organization Negotiations: The Doha Development Agenda

On November 9-14, 2001, trade ministers from WTO countries met in Doha, Qatar for their fourth Ministerial Conference. At that meeting, they agreed to a work program for a new round of multilateral trade negotiations to conclude by January 1, 2005. The work program folds on-going negotiations on agriculture and services into a broader agenda that includes industrial tariffs, topics of interest to developing countries, changes in WTO rules, and other provisions. Because of the influence that developing countries had in setting the work program, the round has become known as the Doha Development Agenda. Agriculture has been the linchpin in the Doha Development Agenda. U.S. goals were substantial reduction of trade-distorting domestic support; elimination of export subsidies, and improved market access. Industrial trade barriers and services are other market access topics in the negotiations.