The Seminar, which was organized by the Secretariat in the context of the Doha Development Agenda and in response to requests by WTO Members, took place on 14 November 2003. Its main objective was to raise awareness on the challenges and opportunities arising from regional trade agreements (RTAs) and to further discussion and thinking about how to best converge RTAs with the objectives of the multilateral trading system. Its main focus was on the significance of RTAs for global trade, their role in promoting economic development, and the impact of RTAs' market access provisions and trade regulatory functions on international trade relations. Invited to the Seminar were WTO Members and Observers, and regional organizations from developed and developing countries.

> Background objectives
> Programme, with links to papers and presentations