Global trade negotiators will restart the Doha round of world trade talks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this week, but a return to the bargaining table will likely be more symbol than substance, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

The report said the key players -- the U.S. and the European Union -- remain unwilling to cut farm subsidies enough to satisfy emerging economies like Brazil and India.

Trade representatives from 30 leading economies, including the EU, the U.S., China, India and Brazil, will hold one-on-one talks in the Swiss resort before meeting as a group on Saturday.

Started in 2001, the Doha round is meant to help poor countries gain access to the developed world's markets by cutting subsidies and tariffs in rich markets -- especially in agriculture. In return, wealthy nations would win access to key markets for services such as banking and insurance.

Talks collapsed in July after the EU and U.S. turned down requests by emerging economies such as Brazil and India to trim their generous farm handouts.

With little change since then, the ministers are "trying to save face, to show they're working hard for a deal," the U.S. daily quoted an official familiar with the negotiations as saying.