{
  "id": "RL31206",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "RL31206",
  "active": false,
  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
  "versions": [
    {
      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 101053,
      "date": "2001-12-04",
      "retrieved": "2016-05-24T20:18:54.917941",
      "title": "The WTO Doha Ministerial: Results and Agenda for a New Round of Negotiations",
      "summary": "Trade ministers from the 142 member countries of the World Trade Organization (WTO) met\nin\nDoha, Qatar from November 9-14, 2001. At the end of their meeting, they issued a ministerial\ndeclaration, along with two statements on developing country concerns, that establish an agenda for\na new round trade negotiations.\n  This agenda has significant implications for Congress. Most of the agreements reached during\nthe round will require congressional approval before they can be implemented by the United States. \nMore immediately, however, the Doha results provide a framework for the congressional debate on\ntrade policy that is taking place in the context of congressional consideration of legislation\nauthorizing presidential trade promotion, or fast-track, authority.\n  For the United States, the greatest success was the adoption of language on agricultural trade. \nThe Ministerial Declaration stated that the members committed to \"comprehensive negotiations\naimed at: substantial improvements in market access; reductions of, with a view to phasing out, all\nforms of export subsidies; and substantial reductions in trade-distorting support.\" The Declaration\nincludes other market access issues supported by the United States, such as continuing negotiations\non trade in services. It also calls for the reduction or elimination of tariffs, as well as non-tariff\nbarriers, for industrial products. It directs the General Council to report to the fifth ministerial (to\nbe held in 2003) on the progress of the work program on electronic commerce and calls on members\nto continue the practice of duty-free treatment for electronic transmissions until the fifth ministerial. \n  However, negotiations on the market access issues of transparency in government procurement\nand of trade facilitation, which the United States wanted on the agenda, were postponed until at least\nthe fifth ministerial, as were the other two so-called \"Singapore issues\" of investment and\ncompetition policy. Major work on the topic of the environment also was postponed. The United\nStates was unsuccessful in keeping out language on antidumping. The Ministerial Declaration states\nthat members \"agree to negotiations aimed at clarifying and improving disciplines\" under the\nantidumping and subsidies agreements. One controversial issue that is absent from the work\nprogram for the next round is labor rights and trade, although the issue is mentioned in the preamble\nof the Doha Declaration.\n  The results of the Doha Ministerial have already touched off heated debate within the 107th\nCongress that will likely continue as the Congress considers legislation to provide for presidential\ntrade promotion, or fast-track, negotiating authority. The Doha agenda could play a role in shaping\nthat legislation. Members of Congress will be weighing that agenda against a variety of national,\nregional, and local economic interests and concerns.",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORTS",
      "active": false,
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          "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL31206",
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      ],
      "topics": []
    }
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Agricultural Policy",
    "American Law",
    "Foreign Affairs",
    "Industry and Trade"
  ]
}