Global trade talks: Doha is doable this year

Richard Baldwin, Simon J Evenett, 28 May 2011The Doha Round poses a dilemma for world leaders; the talks cannot be completed this year, but there is no agreement among WTO members on either suspending or killing the Round. This column introduces the latest VoxEU eBook, which gathers the thoughts of some of the world’s most experienced trade negotiators on what comes next.

Pacific Rim ministers on Thursday took a stand against the spectre of rising protectionism, pledging not to introduce new barriers against free trade for the next three years.Foreign and trade ministers at Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) talks also made a renewed push to revive stalled WTO Doha Round negotiations on reaching a global free trade accord.The 21-member APEC bloc -- which includes the US, China and Japan -- agreed 2011 would be a "critically important window of opportunity" to advance the talks, as many nations hold elections the following year.

The Doha round of global talks aimed at expanding free trade is on the brink of failure, World Trade Organisation chief Pascal Lamy warned on Friday.Lamy added to the gloomy atmosphere that has prevailed in recent weeks after negotiators met at WTO headquarters in Geneva to take stock of their most recent attempts to overcome a decade of deadlock."My frank assessment is that under the right conditions of temperature and pressure a deal would be doable... were it not for NAMA (Non Agricultural Market Access, or industrial goods)," the WTO director general said.

World Trade Organization chief Pascal Lamy warned Monday that time was running out for the conclusion of a global trade liberalisation pact as more than 100 ministers met to discuss prospects for global commerce.But the United States, seen as critical to breaking the eight-year stalemate in the Doha round of global trade talks, assured the Geneva meeting that it was prepared to "move into the end game" of the negotiations.World leaders have pledged to conclude the Doha Round of global trade negotiations by 2010, but little progress has been made.