Global Services Coalition Objectives for the Doha Development Agenda

Transcription

1 Glbal Services Calitin Objectives fr the Dha Develpment Agenda Attachment 2 Submissin t the Mrtimer Review Exprt Plicies and Prgrams June 2008

2 The Australian Services Rundtable is an active cre member f the Glbal Services Calitin (GSN). Our jint psitin with respect t the WTO Dha Develpment Agenda is best summarized in the tw media releases set ut belw; 1. Media Release setting ut the GSN bjectives fr the Services Text 2. Media Release expressing GSN disappintment with the draft Services Text released in May GSN Objectives We are aware that the WTO Cuncil n Trade in Services in Special Sessin has authrized its Chairman, Ambassadr de Mate, t prepare a text stating the level f ambitin fr the services negtiatins, and dates fr new services ffers. We believe the text shuld signal cnvincingly that the gal is t btain the maximum number f bindings and new ffers in as many f the key service sectrs and subsectrs as pssible. We wuld like t suggest that this text embrace the fllwing elements: Services negtiatins shuld be driven by the same level f ambitin and plitical will as reflected in the mdalities fr agriculture and NAMA, given that services is ne f the three market access pillars f the DDA. The text shuld reprt n the prgress t date in services, particularly with regard t the cmmercial value and quality f existing ffers. In additin, it shuld describe the prgress made tward advancing liberalizatin in key service sectrs in the plurilateral negtiatins. It shuld als reprt n the prgress t date n rule-making issues especially with respect t dmestic regulatin. New services ffers shall be submitted that (a) bind current market access and natinal treatment cnditins already in place and (b) prvide new market access cmmitments that will g beynd current market cnditins t remve trade impediments and expand pprtunities fr new trade flw. T the maximum extent pssible, the ffers shuld d the fllwing: Remve freign equity restrictins Remve restrictins n the frm f establishment

3 Remve prhibitins n supplying services crssbrder Remve restrictins n mvement f natural persns Remve natinality requirements Ensure that n cmpetitive advantages are prvided t gvernment entities r entities therwise subsidized, spnsred, r endrsed by a gvernment. Cntain cmmitments n regulatry transparency The ffers shuld cver mdes and sectrs under discussin in the plurilateral negtiatins. We believe that Members f whm requests fr liberalizatin have been made are nw, thanks t the plurilateral prcess, fully aware f the nature f these requests and shuld be psitined t respnd t them psitively. Cnsideratin culd be given t mutually agreed transitinal perids s as t intrduce regulatry framewrks where necessary. These new services ffers shall be submitted within 30 days f the adptin f Ag/NAMA mdalities. The text shuld acknwledge the interest f develping cuntries and make a specific reference t liberalizatin in sectrs f their exprt interest. We believe that the Dha rund aim f develpment will be better served by a strng rather than a weak services package; services liberalizatin will bring tangible benefits t develping cuntries, in particular in the infrastructure services f the ecnmy, prvided that the cnditins are ripe fr the investrs. The text hwever must avid frmulatins that might encurage WTO Members t ffer liberalizatin in ne sectr as a means f aviding liberalizatin cmmitments in ther sectrs. Withut in any way prejudicing the future level f ambitin, the text shuld supprt early intrductin f dmestic regulatin disciplines that wuld cmmit all WTO members t make their regulatry prcess at least mre transparent. The text shuld recgnize the need fr an n-ging agenda f further negtiatins in this area. Finally, there is a need, including if credibility with business is t be rebuilt, fr a visible mechanism t facilitate and shwcase develpments in services. We strngly supprt the rganisatin f a signalling cnference, cnvened by the WTO Directr-

4 General with Ministers f the Members engaged in the plurilateral negtiatins. The purpse f the cnference shuld be t allw Ministers t indicate specifically hw they plan t respnd t the abve elements in their new services ffers. The signalling cnference shuld be cnvened at the time f the adptin f mdalities fr Agriculture and NAMA, in rder t reestablish and take advantage f linkages amng the three sectrs. Subsequent t the signaling cnference, there shuld be an evaluatin prcess by which ffers can be analyzed. In the absence f ther benchmarking instruments, the extent t which ffers satisfy plurilateral requests culd prvide ne means by which t evaluate their quality. Australian Services Rundtable BRASSCOM (Brazil) Canadian Services Calitin Calitin f Service Eurpean Services Frum Financial Leaders Grup Hng Kng Calitin f Service Internatinal Financial Services Lndn Japan Services Netwrk/Keidanren Taiwan Calitin f Service Trinidad and Tbag Calitin f Services Wellingtn Reginal Chamber 2. GSN Disappintment (May 27, 2008) In respnse t the release f the Dha Rund services text yesterday by the Chairman f the WTO Cuncil fr Trade in Services in Special Sessin, the Glbal Services Calitin issued the fllwing statement: "The Glbal Services Calitin is disappinted with the services text issued yesterday by the Chairman f the WTO Cuncil fr Trade in Services in Special Sessin. At this pint in the negtiatins, a text is needed that prvides plitical guidance n the level f ambitin in the Dha Rund services negtiatins. This versin illustrates that members are still 'cnsulting' and demnstrates hw little prgress has been made in the services negtiatins. Critical cmpnents (perative language calling fr new market access and bindings f existing market access) still remain in brackets - highlighting that it is nly prvisinal r subject t further discussin. It is well established in the Dha Declaratin and subsequent Ministerial declaratins that the purpse f this Rund is t stimulate wrld trade, ecnmic develpment and prsperity fr all. This bjective will be fulfilled by cmmitments t liberalizatin, including binding current levels f market access and, especially, prviding new market access pprtunities. Thus the Glbal Services Calitin believes the bracketed language must be made an integral part f the final services text.

5 As the Glbal Services Calitin has said since the utset f the Dha Rund, agriculture, nn-agricultural market access (NAMA), and services are the three pillars f market pening in the Rund. The three are inextricably linked, and the Rund will nly be brught t a successful cnclusin when there is substantial prgress in all three. The language f the Chairman's draft, reflecting current divisins amng WTO members, diverges significantly frm the recently released texts n Agriculture and NAMA, bth f which set the stage fr strng binding bligatins. With the services negtiatins lagging s far behind the Ag and NAMA negtiatins, the right framewrk fr a balanced utcme has nt been set. Fr services, the ultimate bjective is substantial liberalizatin f trade; the Glbal Services Calitin lks frward t a Ministerial-level signalling cnference that will clarify and reinfrce the cmmitments which WTO members, including thse wh have advcated a substantial utcme n services, will need t make. WTO members' real intentins fr services market-pening must be clearly stated, t pave the way fr substantive and detailed discussins n balancing the three pillars. Tw-thirds f wrld ecnmic utput is generated by the service sectr, and cuntries at all levels f develpment will benefit frm ready access t efficient, cmpetitive services. A successful cnclusin t the Rund, especially against the current backgrund f glbal ecnmic uncertainty, will send a very psitive signal nt nly t traders and investrs but als t cnsumers and wrkers arund the wrld. Australian Services Rundtable Barbads Calitin f Service BRASSCOM (Brazil) Canadian Services Calitin Calitin f Service Eurpean Services Frum Financial Leaders Grup Internatinal Financial Services Lndn Hng Kng Calitin f Service Japan Services Netwrk/Keidanren Trinidad and Tbag Calitin f Services Wellingtn Reginal Chamber (New Zealand)