Description
The
Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations and trade policy
of the United States are at a critical junction. There remains
a series of concerns in the Doha talks which include: (1) the
long-standing disagreements on agriculture and other issues among
WTO members; (2) the diversity of interests among the developing
countries; (3) the uncertainties regarding the extension or renewal
of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) in the United States; (4) the
discussions on a new U.S. farm bill; and (5) the dauntingly large
number of actors inside and outside of the WTO who must be brought
together for an agreement.
Trade
policy in the United States, for its part, is at a critical stage,
particularly given the impending expiration of U.S. trade and
agricultural laws, and the new political environment after the
2006 congressional elections. No doubt that the outcomes of the
debates on TPA, the farm bill among others will have a significant
influence on the content and timing of the Doha negotiations.
To better understand the current situation and challenges, the
International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development, together
with the Peterson Institute for International Economics (IIE)
and the German Marshall Fund (GMF), is convening a dialogue on
July 24, 2007, in Geneva. The dialogue is aimed at discussing
pending Doha-related trade issues, which include renewal of the
TPA, approval of a new Farm Bill and prospects for the conclusion
of the negotiations.
