The recent bleak news on the Doha Round of trade discussions has thrown its future into doubt once again. This column discusses ways to salvage the talks and the World Trade Organisation itself, arguing that it is time to start thinking about changing the way the organisation does business in order to reflect the changing circumstances of the 21st century.
The recent news from Geneva on the Doha Round is depressing (WTO 2011, Reuters 2011). The US tried to organise agreement to suspend the Round among the leader group of nations (the so-called G11, i.e. the US, EU, Japan, Canada, Australia, China, India, Brazil, Argentina, South Africa and Mauritius); this was rebuffed. WTO Secretary-General Pascal Lamy is holding bilateral meetings with all the big players (US, EU, Brazil, India and China are the linchpin players now). Depending on what he hears, he may alter the official timetable for concluding the Round by the end of 2011.
Πηγή: Voxeu