UNITAR/WTO Seminar on International Trade and the Doha Round

Summary

Date: 3-7 December 2007
Venue: UN Headquarters

The potential of international trade and the multilateral trading system to contribute to economic growth, development and employment is widely recognized. The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the principal international organization governing world trade and providing a multilateral forum for trade negotiations. WTO members committed to a development agenda at its 4th Ministerial Conference held in Doha in November 2001. Trade ministers launched a new round of trade negotiations and decided to place the interests of developing countries at the heart of these negotiations. Thus, the Doha Round was meant to lead to greater participation of developing countries in the multilateral trading system.

This seminar is designed to provide participants with an overview of the Doha Development Agenda, the proposals tabled by WTO Members in the various negotiating areas and the contentious issues involved, which have led to the suspension of the round in July 2006. Initially supposed to be concluded by 1 January 2005, the negotiations have resumed in February of this year. Against this backdrop, the seminar will also discuss possible scenarios for the future of the Doha Round.

Objectives

To equip participants to make substantive contributions to the work of their governments in the field of trade negotiations and trade policy through:

• familiarizing them with the multilateral trading system, the institutional structure and decision-making process of WTO;
• enhancing their knowledge of the Multilateral Agreements concluded during the Uruguay Round;
• briefing them on the Doha Development Agenda, the main negotiating issues and the positions of the major players, including the United States, the European Communities, the G-20, the G-33 and the African Group.
• discussing possible scenarios for the future of the Doha Round.

Additional Information

Working Language: English

Contact: Sarah Rosengaertner

DOWNLOADS (pdf):

Draft programme

Information note

Presentations:

The Institutional Framework and Basic Principles of the WTO

Exercise Case Studies on Basic Principles

The Doha Development Agenda

Special and Differential Treatment

The Agreement on Agriculture

Overview on Non-Agricultural Market Access

GATS Negotiations

WTO Rules Relating to Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs)

Doha Round Negotiations on RTA Rules and Procedures

Trade Related Investment Measures (TRIMS)

WTO Dispute Settlement Body

Trade and Development, and NAMA
Santiago Fernandez de Cordoba, UNCTAD New York

Introduction to Anti-Dumping
James Durling, Vinson and Elkins LLP, Washington DC and Thomas Prusa, Rutgers University, New Brunswick NJ

Trade and Sustainable Development
Policy Integration and Analysis Branch, Division for Sustainable Development Division for Sustainable Development, UN DESA

Aid for Trade
Kamal Malhotra, UNDP New York

Related Links:

Previous seminars:

UNITAR/WTO Seminar in December 2006

UNITAR/WTO Seminar in July 2007