Named after the capital of Qatar, where in 2001 the Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation developed the subjects for the next multilateral negotiation round with the goal of removing worldwide barriers to trade.
The focus of the Doha Round is on the developing countries (so-called Doha Development Agenda). In seven negotiation groups, the Doha Round addressed the subjects of access to markets (e.g. tariffs in the industrial sector), trade regulations (e.g. anti-dumping, subsidies), the relationship between trade and the environment, the protection of geographical indications, the improvement of systems for the settlement of trade disputes, the phasing out of agricultural tariffs and subsidies, and the further liberalization of international trade in services.
The Doha Round was unable to reach agreement by the deadline originally set of January 2005. It has been suspended since July 2006.
