WTO Doha Negotiations

The Doha Development Agenda (DDA or Doha Round) is the ninth round of multilateral trade negotiations to be carried out since the end of World War II.

The Round was launched in Doha, Qatar, in November 2001, at the WTO’s Fourth WTO Ministerial Conference, where Ministers provided a mandate for negotiations on a range of subjects and work in on-going WTO Committees. In addition, the mandate gives further direction on the WTO’s existing work program and implementation of the WTO Agreement.

The goal of the Doha Round is to reduce trade barriers in order to expand global economic growth, development, and opportunity.

The Doha negotiations offer an opportunity to revive confidence in globaltrade and to lay the groundwork for the robust global trading system of tomorrow.

The negotiations focus on the following areas:

• agriculture

• industrial goods market access

• services

• trade facilitation

• WTO rules (i.e., trade remedies, fish subsidies, and regional trade agreements)

• development

The Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC) oversees the agenda and negotiations in cooperation with the WTO General Council. The WTO Director General serves as Chairman of the TNC and worked closely with the Chairman of the General Council.

The Chairman of the General Council and the WTO Director General play a central role in steering efforts toward progress on the Doha Round. 

Additional information on the Doha negotiations can be accessed through the WTO website