What is the Doha Round?

According to Wikipedia: The Doha Development Round is the current trade-negotiation round of the World Trade Organization (WTO) which commenced at Doha, Qatar in November 2001. Its objective is to lower trade barriers around the world, permitting free trade between countries of varying prosperity. As of 2008, talks have stalled over a divide on major issues, such as agriculture, industrial tariffs and non-tariff barriers, services, and trade remedies.[1] The most significant differences are between developed nations led by the European Union (EU), the United States (USA) and Japan and the major developing countries led and represented mainly by India, Brazil, China and South Africa. There is also considerable contention against and between the EU and the USA over their maintenance of agricultural subsidies—seen to operate effectively as trade barriers.

G'Day Mate! From the news... * Doha round failed because too few countries needed it to succeed 03 August 2008 The WTO outcome does not augur well for areas where other global decisions need to be taken, such as migration, climate change and nuclear proliferation, writes Alan Matthews. The immediate cause of the breakdown of the WTO Doha Round trade talks in Geneva last week may have been the failure by the United States, India and China to agree on a mechanism to protect developing country farmers from a sudden surge in food imports. But the fact is that ultimately it failed because no one outside the Geneva meeting rooms really needed it to succeed, and was thus not prepared to stand up to the sectors that stood to lose. http://www.sbpost.ie/post/pages/p/story.aspx-qqqt=NEWS+FEATURES-qqqm=nav-qqqid=34889-qqqx=1.asp * And from Wiki... * The Doha Development Round is the current trade-negotiation round of the World Trade Organization (WTO) which commenced at Doha, Qatar in November 2001. Its objective is to lower trade barriers around the world, permitting free trade between countries of varying prosperity. As of 2008, talks have stalled over a divide on major issues, such as agriculture, industrial tariffs and non-tariff barriers, services, and trade remedies.[1] The most significant differences are between developed nations led by the European Union (EU), the United States (USA) and Japan and the major developing countries led and represented mainly by India, Brazil, China and South Africa. There is also considerable contention against and between the EU and the USA over their maintenance of agricultural subsidies—seen to operate effectively as trade barriers.[2] The Doha Round began with a ministerial-level meeting in Doha, Qatar in 2001. Subsequent ministerial meetings took place in Cancún, Mexico (2003), and Hong Kong (2005). Related negotiations took place in Geneva, Switzerland (2004, 2006, 2008); Paris, France (2005); and Potsdam, Germany (2007). The most recent round of negotiations, July 23-29 2008, broke down after failing to reach a compromise on agricultural import rules.[3] Negotiations are not expected to resume until 2009.[4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doha_Development_Round