This paper analyses the reasons for the failure of the Doha Round negotiations which started in 2001 and offers prospects for Doha’s future. The sticking points of the current World Trade Organization (WTO) talks are serious negotiating differences in agriculture, manufactures and trade in services. New policy circumstances due to the increased number of WTO member countries and new orientation of the major negotiating partners such as the United States of America and the European Union towards regional trade agreements make a favourable outcome quite severe. It seems that political issues overlap economic rationality. However, member countries have to realise that there is still a lot of potential for further trade liberalisation via multilateralism and, hence, economic and social gains to the world’s society. The motivation of OECD countries to overcome their protectionist lobbies and to accept reduced protection and support for agriculture will be crucial for the success of Doha. Equally, developing countries have to agree to open their markets for labour-intensive goods and services from developed countries.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- INTRODUCTION
- THE DOHA DEVELOPMENT AGENDA
- THE DOHA DECLARATION EXPLAINED – RESULTS OF THE 4TH MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
- STATUS QUO OF THE CURRENT DOHA NEGOTIATIONS
- Results of the 5th Ministerial Conference of Cancún
- Results of the 6th Ministerial Conference of Hong Kong
- REASONS FOR THE FAILURE OF THE DOHA ROUND
- NEW POLICY CIRCUMSTANCES
- MULTILATERALISM VERSUS REGIONALISM
- ECONOMIC SELF-INTEREST
- PROSPECTS FOR DOHA'S FUTURE
- CONCLUDING REMARKS
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper investigates the reasons for the failure of the Doha Round negotiations, which began in 2001, and explores the prospects for its future success. The paper highlights the challenges presented by serious negotiating differences in key areas like agriculture, manufactured goods, and trade in services. It also examines the impact of new policy circumstances, including the increased number of WTO member countries and the growing influence of regional trade agreements.
- The complexities of trade liberalization through multilateralism
- The role of political issues in economic negotiations
- The potential of trade liberalization for economic and social gains
- The challenges of overcoming protectionist lobbies in OECD countries
- The importance of developing countries opening their markets to goods and services from developed countries
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter provides an overview of the history of the GATT/WTO, emphasizing its role in promoting multilateralism and trade liberalization. It outlines the key principles and agreements established through the GATT, including the most-favoured-nation (MFN) treatment, and highlights the importance of the Uruguay Round in establishing the WTO. The chapter also discusses the challenges faced by the Doha Round, particularly in relation to agricultural trade and other issues of interest to developing countries.
- The Doha Development Agenda: This chapter delves into the content and development of the Doha Development Agenda, emphasizing the results of the 4th Ministerial Conference. It examines the status quo of the current Doha negotiations, including the outcomes of the 5th and 6th Ministerial Conferences.
- Reasons for the Failure of the Doha Round: This chapter explores the factors hindering the progress of the Doha Round, examining new policy circumstances, the tension between multilateralism and regionalism, and the influence of economic self-interest.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The paper focuses on the Doha Round of WTO negotiations, multilateralism, trade liberalization, agricultural trade, regional trade agreements, economic self-interest, protectionism, developing countries, and the future prospects of the Doha Development Agenda.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Manuel Simon (Autor:in), 2006, Is there still hope for the Doha Round?, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/82721
