World Trade Organization

The outcome of ongoing World Trade Org. (WTO) negotiations is vital to the U.S. economy, because trade with WTO members accounts for 1/5 of the U.S. GDP. The current round of trade negotiations -- the Doha Round -- was supposed to end by 1/05 with agree. on the key issues of ag., industrial market access, services, & to strengthen the trading system's contribution to economic development. Failure to reach any agree. at the last WTO meeting in 9/03, threatened the outcome; however, talks resumed in 2004, & a new conf. will convene in 12/05. This report assessed: (1) the status of the Doha Round negotiations, (2) progress on key negotiating issues, & (3) factors affecting progress toward concluding the negotiations. Charts & tables.