Summary: ministerial conferences are the WTO’s highest decision-making body, meeting at least once every two years and providing political direction for the organization. This sixth conference will be vital for enabling the four-year-old Doha Development Agenda negotiations forward sufficiently to conclude the round in 2006. The main task before members in Hong Kong is to settle a range of questions that will shape the final agreement of the Doha Development Agenda, which members hope to complete a year later, at the end of 2006. Launched at the Fourth Ministerial Conference in November 2001, the Doha Development Agenda includes negotiations on a range of subjects, and work on issues related to the implementation of agreements arising from previous negotiations (the 1986–94 Uruguay Round, which created the WTO). For the negotiations on agriculture and non-agricultural market access, the next aim is to agree on formulas and other details that will determine the scale of reductions in tariffs on thousands of products and on farm subsidies. Also on the agenda are preparation for the final stages of negotiations in services, various WTO rules and a number of development issues. Originally intended for Hong Kong, some of the objectives are being delayed to early 2006 with Hong Kong as an important staging post. -------------------- Relevant resources: Further information:
The Sixth WTO Ministerial Conference
"Take education out of GATS" teachers urge - Education International
Oxfam Briefing Notes on Trade - Oxfam
procedures for registration
General website for NGOs
Organisation:
Web:
http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/minist_e/min05_e/min05_e.htm
Link :
Countries
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