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CHRONOLOGY-Key dates in WTO's Doha free trade round

27 Jul 2007 12:39:47 GMT
Source: Reuters

July 27 (Reuters) - Diplomats agreed this week to renew negotiations to clinch a World Trade Organisation (WTO) accord on tearing down barriers to global commerce despite deep divisions over farming and industrial markets.

Following are some key dates in the Doha round of talks, launched in the Qatari capital in 2001 and originally intended to last three years:

Nov. 2001 - With global recession fears looming, WTO members agree in Qatar to begin "broad and balanced" free trade negotiations to help dampen protectionism and bolster the multilateral trading system.

Negotiators set a goal of finishing the Doha round by January 2005. The accord was meant to follow up on the 1986-93 Uruguay round with further cuts to tariffs and subsidies in agriculture, manufacturing and services markets.

The so-called "Doha Development Agenda" also promised to help integrate developing countries further into the world economy so they could benefit more from globalisation and export their way out of poverty.

March 2003 - Countries miss a deadline for deciding on the formula needed to cut agricultural tariffs and subsidies. Talks on industrial goods and services also fall behind schedule.

Sept. 2003 - A WTO ministerial meeting in Cancun, Mexico, ends acrimoniously after developing countries savage a U.S. and European proposal on agriculture, and form a G20 negotiating bloc led by Brazil and India.

Jan. 2005 - WTO members miss the original deadline for completing the Doha free trade pact.

Dec. 2005 - Countries agree to eliminate agricultural export subsidies by 2013, but again fail to agree on the formula for cutting domestic farm subsidies and tariffs.

July 2006 - WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy suspends the Doha talks after the United States, EU, Brazil, India, Japan and Australia are unable to break an impasse over politically sensitive farm and manufacturing protections.

Feb. 2007 - After several months of bilateral and small-group consultations among countries, Lamy declares multilateral negotiations in Geneva back in full swing.

June 2007 - The United States, EU, Brazil and India fail at a meeting in Germany to overcome differences in farming and industrial goods.

July 2007 - Chairmen of the WTO's talks on agriculture and industrial goods issue proposals meant to break the deadlock in their negotiating groups.

Countries agree the texts, which include ranges of possible cuts to tariffs and subsidies, should form the basis for renewed negotiations in Geneva in September but signal big fights remain before they can agree to repeal protections for their farmers and manufacturing sectors.

No new deadlines are set for the talks. Negotiating chairmen say reaching agreement will "take as long as it takes".

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Last updated:Fri Jul 27 12:41:44 2007