March 11 , 2008
IN THIS ALERT:
WTO Members Weigh in on Services Text
Six different groupings of WTO members have made submissions to Ambassador Fernando De Mateo, Chairman of the Committe on Trade in Services Special Session (CTSSS), in response to his February 12 report (JOB(08/5)) on the Doha Round services negotiations. The submissions all make a variety of suggestions on the content of a services text, which is expected to be issued in the coming weeks. The text will provide political guidance on the level of ambition to be pursued in the negotiation.
Most of the contributions focus on paragraph 4 of De Mateo’s report. A contribution from major services demandeurs adds language that services must be driven by the same level of ambition and political will as agriculture and NAMA, and must contain both bindings of existing market access, and new liberalization. By contrast, a submission from Brazil, China, India, Pakistan and South Africa says that the services negotiations should be conducted “in line with other negotiating areas” of the Round. Submissions were also made by the ACP group of developing countries, the newly acceded WTO members, small and vulnerable economies, and a “middle ground” group of countries. All the statements will be made available on the GSN website as soon as they become available. For copies of the statements from the major demandeurs, click here. For the statement from the Brazil/China/India group, click here.
USTR Releases 2007 Annual Report & 2008 Agenda
On March 4, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative issued its 2008 Trade Policy Agenda and the 2007 Annual Reviewing developments in the Doha Round last year, the report noted that “A strong and ambitious result in services is essential for a successful outcome of the Doha Round.” Looking ahead, the report said that the Round remains the Administration’s top trade negotiating priority, and says that a “window of opportunity” exists to conclude the Doha Round this year. The report also says that the Administration will work with Congress to advance the pending bilateral free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea. For a copy of the 2007 annual report and 2008 Trade Policy Agenda, click here.
Lamy Emphasizes Benefits of Telecom Liberalization
At a February 20 Geneva symposium marking the 10th anniversary of the WTO Agreement on Basic Telecoms, WTO Director- General Pascal Lamy drew on the experience of trade in telecommunications over the past decade to underscore the importance of liberalizing services trade. “Since the results came into force ten years ago this month, global access to telecommunications has increased from below 15 percent in 1996 to above 60 percent in 2006, and revenues have risen from US$620 billion to US$1.4 trillion during the same period”. For Lamy’s full speech and more information on the symposium, click here.
ASIL Survey on Presidential Candidates' Trade Views
A recent web-based initiative by the American Society for International Law (ASIL) features responses from U.S. Presidential candidates to a survey on a variety of international challenges facing the next Administration, including trade policy. The survey asks what the candidates’ international trade policy would be, their views of existing trade agreements, and their approach to the WTO and future global trade talks. To view the candidates’ responses, click here. |
