Download Locations

• U.S. Department of State
• National Agricultural Law Center

Summary

The World Trade Organization was established in 1995 and is the principal international organization governing world trade. It has 150 member countries, representing over 95% of world trade. On November 9-14, 2001, trade ministers from WTO countries met in Doha, Qatar for its 4th Ministerial Conference. At that meeting, members agreed to a work program for a new round of multilateral trade negotiations. 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 numbering 19 in all. Because of the influence that developing countries had in setting the work program, the round has become known as the Doha Development Agenda. Negotiations were to conclude by January 1, 2005, but this deadline was breached and no new deadline officially has been established. 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. Three issues are among the most important to developing countries, in addition to concessions on agriculture. One issue pertains to compulsory licensing of medicines and patent protection. A second deals with a review of provisions giving special and differential treatment to developing countries. A third addresses problems that developing countries are having in implementing current trade obligations. In other areas, negotiators are meeting to clarify and improve disciplines under the antidumping and subsidies agreements. These talks on trade remedies are being observed closely by some Members of Congress, who did not want the issue on the agenda at all. The 5th Ministerial Conference was held September 10-14, 2003 in Cancun, Mexico, but broke up without agreement. On July 31, 2004, WTO members approved a Framework Agreement to guide remaining negotiations. The July 31 framework included important terms on agriculture and began new negotiations on trade facilitation. The 6th Ministerial was held in Hong Kong from December 13-18, 2005. Although an original goal of the Ministerial was to agree on a package of modalities for the ongoing Doha Development Agenda (DDA) round of trade negotiations, this aim was dropped and members agreed to some modest advancements in agriculture, industrial tariffs, and duty and quota-free access for least developed countries.

Related Legislation:
• S.150
• S.4

XML