More free trade or slower pace of liberalisation - What results can be expected from the WTO Conference?

The fourth Minister Conference of the World Trade Organisation took place in Doha, Qatar on 9-13 November. The discussions centred on whether a consensus can be found on opening a new round of negotiations on the further liberalisation of international trade. In his contribution, Prof. Karlhans Sauernheimer, University of Mainz, underscores the necessity for the trade ministers and their governments to provide new impetus for the stalled process of trade liberalisation and for initiating a new world trade round. Prof. Friedrich L. Sell, University of the Armed Forces in Munich, also hopes "that the present cyclical downturn in industrial countries will not hinder a conceivable acceleration in liberalisation". For Dr. Udo Broll, University of Saarland, the WTO can be assessed positively since it can contribute to a reduction of trade restraints. However, a critical questions is "how long this form of international co-ordination will be effective in reaching the stated goal of a stable world trade order?"