World Trade
Organization TN/S/W/40
12 May 2005 (05-1931) Council for Trade in Services
Special Session Original: English
COMMUNICATION FROM korea
APEC Ministers Call for Progress on Services
The following communication, dated 11 May 2005, from the delegation of Korea is being circulated to the Members of the Council for Trade in Services.
_______________
We, the Ministers responsible for Trade of APEC economies who are members of the WTO, are seriously concerned about the slow progress in the services negotiations under the Doha Development Agenda (DDA). An urgent effort is required to impart momentum into these negotiations and to ensure a speedy and balanced outcome from the Round.
Competitive services sectors are of crucial importance for the efficient functioning of our economies. They promote innovation, and they permit the easy interaction of all economic sectors. Meaningful offers in sectors and modes of supply of interest to all econ
World Trade
Organization TN/S/W/39
4 April 2005 (05-1349) Council for Trade in Services
Special Session Original: English
COMMUNICATION FROM switzerland
Education services and the GATS: the Experience of Switzerland
The following communication, dated 18 March 2005, from the delegation of Switzerland, is being circulated to the Members of the Council for Trade in Services.
_______________
Background
Switzerland is a multicultural country, with four national languages within a relatively small territory. Federalism and direct democracy mark its political system, devolving substantial political power to the 26 Cantons and the nearly 3000 municipalities. Therefore, jurisdictions at all levels play a significant role in the Swiss education system: nearly one quarter of the Cantons' and municipalities' budget is spent on education. In the year 2000, public spending on education reached 22 billion Swiss francs or 5.4 per cent of Switzerland's GDP (
World Trade
Organization RESTRICTED TN/S/W/37 S/CSC/W/46
24 February 2005 (05-0771) Council for Trade in Services
Special Session
Committee on Specific Commitments Original: English
COMMUNICATION FROM AUSTRALIA, CANADA, CHILE, THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, JAPAN, KOREA, NEW ZEALAND, SINGAPORE, SWITZERLAND, THE SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY OF TAIWAN, PENGHU, KINMEN AND MATSU AND THE UNITED STATES
Joint Statement on Legal Services
The following communication, dated 22 February 2005, from the delegations of Australia, Canada, Chile, the European Communities, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu, and the United States is being circulated to the Members of the Council for Trade in Services.
_______________
We, the co-sponsors, wish to convey to the wider membership points of convergence on issues discussed in the informal Friends group on legal services. It is noted that Memb
Australia, Canada, Chile, the European Communities, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland
2005/2/24
World Trade
Organization TN/S/W/36
22 February 2005 (05-0745) Council for Trade in Services
Special Session Original: English
Communication from Canada
Working to Ensure Benefits from the GATS for Members'
Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs)
The following communication, dated 22 February 2005, from the delegation of Canada is being circulated to the Members of the Council for Trade in Services.
_______________
Introduction
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) play a crucial role in the domestic economies of all WTO Members. They are often disproportionately affected by barriers to trade. A strong outcome in the services negotiations that will encourage an d facilitate SME participation in services trade is a priority for Canada. Canada's bilateral discussions on the subject have confirmed that this is an objective that is strongly shared by other WTO Members, developing country Members in particular.
As WTO Members prepare their r
World Trade
Organization RESTRICTED TN/S/W/31
18 February 2005 (05-0693) Council for Trade in Services
Special Session Original: English
Communication from Argentina, BOlivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, India, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, philippines, Thailand and Uruguay
Categories of Natural Persons for Commitments under Mode 4 of GATS
The following communication, dated 17 February 2005, from the delegations of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, India, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Thailand and Uruguay is being circulated to the Members of the Council for Trade in Services.
_______________
Introduction
One of the most critical issues relating to Mode 4 is the categories of natural persons for whom commitments are being sought. It has been noted earlier that specific commitments in Mode 4 are primarily horizontal. The coverage of categories is also narrow and restricted mainly to personnel related to commercial presence. The covera
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, India, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Thailand and Uruguay
2005/2/18
World Trade
Organization RESTRICTED TN/S/W/33
18 February 2005
(05-0710) Council for Trade in Services
Special Session Original: English
COMMUNICATION FROM CANADA, JAPAN AND THE UNITED STATES
Trade In Air Transport Services
The following communication, dated 17 February 2005, from the delegations of
Canada, Japan and the United States
is being circulated to the Members of the Council for Trade in Services.
_______________
In December 2004, Australia, Chile, the European Communities, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland (the co-sponsors) submitted a paper (JOB(04)/185, 3 December 2004) proposing that Members take certain actions with respect to air transport services. The co-sponsors urged Members to:
take specific commitments in all three areas referred to in paragraph (3) of the Annex on Air Transport Services (Air Annex),
take commitments on ground handling during the current round, and
give further consideration to the characterizati
World Trade
Organization TN/S/W/32
18 February 2005 (05-0712) Council for Trade in Services
Special Session Original: English
COMMUNICATION FROM bulgaria, CANADA,
the european communities and Romania
Mode 4 – A Common Approach to Scheduling
The following communication, dated 17 February 2005, from the delegations of Bulgaria,
Canada, the European Communities and Romania
is being circulated to the Members of the Council for Trade in Services.
_______________
NB: This paper and the suggestions made in it are not intended to be a substitute for discussions on market access. Neither should re-scheduling commitments according to the common approach suggested be used as an opportunity to reduce the level of commitments of an individual Member. As with sector-specific classification proposals, the question of how to handle the transition in schedules to the common approach indicated below needs to be addressed.
1. It can be difficult to assess
Bulgaria, Canada, the European Communities and Romania
2005/2/18
World Trade
Organization TN/S/W/34
18 February 2005
(05-0711) Council for Trade in Services
Special Session Original: English
COMMUNICATION FROM
Australia, Canada, chile, Djibouti, the European Communities, Hong Kong China, Iceland, Japan, Korea, Liechtenstein, MAURITIUS, New Zealand, Nicaragua, NORWAY, PANAMA, Peru, Singapore, switzerland, the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu, and the United States
Joint Statement on Liberalization of Logistics Services
The following communication, dated 17 February 2005, from the delegations of Australia, Canada, Chile, Djibouti, the European Communities, Hong Kong China, Iceland, Japan, Korea, Liechtenstein, Mauritius, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Singapore, Switzerland, the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu, and the United States is being circulated to the Members of the Council for Trade in Services.
_______________
Australia, Canada, Chile, Djibouti, the European Communities, Hong Kong China, Iceland, Japan, Korea, Liechtenstein, Mauritius, New Zealand
2005/2/18
World Trade
Organization TN/S/W/29
16 February 2005 (05-0651) Council for Trade in Services
Special Session
Original: English
communication from Australia, Chile, the European Communities, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland
Trade in Services to the Aviation Industry:
A case for commitments under the GATS
Questions and answers that may help
The following communication, dated 15 February 2005 from the delegations of Australia, Chile, the European Communities, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland is being circulated to the Members of the Council for Trade in Services.
_______________
What does this statement mean?
The co-sponsors of this paper are amongst those who consider that it is possible to take meaningful commitments for ground handling services. As important commercial services in their own right, ground handling should be covered by specific commitments.
Claims that the GATS excludes all services that support air transport (that c
Australia, Chile, the European Communities, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland
2005/2/16
World Trade
Organization RESTRICTED TN/S/W/28
11 February 2005 (05-0581) Council for Trade in Services
Special Session Original: English
COMMUNICATION FROM
Australia, The european communities, Japan, New Zealand,
THE SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY OF TAIWAN, PENGHU, KINMEN AND MATSU
and the united states
Joint report on informal discussion on environmental services in the context of the DDA
The following communication, dated 9 February 2005, from the delegations of
Australia, the European Communities, Japan, New Zealand,
the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu and
the United States
is being circulated to the Members of the Council for Trade in Services.
_______________
In Doha, Ministers agreed to negotiations on the liberalisation of international trade in environmental services. This recognises the contribution which increased trade in environmental services can make to support policies aiming at improving the g
AUSTRALIA, THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND, THE SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY OF TAIWAN, PENGHU, KINMEN AND MATSU AND THE UNITED STATES
2005/2/11
World Trade
Organization TN/S/W/27
S/CSC/W/44
10 February 2005
(05-0548) Council for Trade in Services
Special Session
Committee on Specific Commitments Original: English
Communication from the European Communities
Classification in the Telecom Sector under the WTO-GATS Framework
The following communication, dated 9 February 2005, from the delegation of the European Communities, is being circulated to the Members of the Council for Trade in Services and the Members of the Committee on Specific Commitments.
_______________
Summary:
This Communication addresses the legal uncertainty created by the existing classification used in the telecom sector under the GATS. Classification is first and foremost the basis to identify all services which Members wish to open to competition (market access) and for which they wish to ensure non-discrimination (national treatment). But the classification used so far is based on business concepts and wo
World Trade
Organization TN/S/W/26
17 January 2005 (05-0187) Council for Trade in Services
Special Session Original: English
COMMUNICATION FROM THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITies
AND THEIR MEMBER STATES
Postal/Courier: Proposal for a Reference Paper
The following communication, dated 13 January 2005, from the delegation of the European Communities and their Member States is being circulated to the Members of the Council for Trade in Services.
_______________
INTRODUCTION
This communication is a complement to the sectoral proposal S/CSS/W/61 of the European Communities and their Member States on the postal and courier sector, which notably contemplated the possibility of a reference paper for postal and courier services. The EC suggests that the following reference paper proposal on postal and courier services could be a model to be further discussed with Members with a view to insert a final version of the paper in the additional commitments of Members
World Trade
Organization TN/S/W/25
26 November 2004 (04-5175) Council for Trade in Services
Special Session Original: English
communication from AUSTRALIA
Administrative Procedures for Mode 4 Temporary Entry in Australia: the eVisa System
The following communication, dated 26 November 2004, from the delegation of Australia is being circulated to the Members of the Council for Trade in Services.
_______________
The focus of this paper is on one aspect of the administrative procedures for mode 4 entry into Australia, namely, the eVisa system. The eVisa has been put in place to provide efficient, and expeditious temporary entry for skilled workers for businesses in Australia. This paper describes the main features of the eVisa system and how it operates to facilitate Mode 4 entry into Australia.
Australia’s temporary business entry arrangements have been streamlined to ensure entry procedures are efficient, expeditious and transparent and to
World Trade
Organization TN/S/W/24
30 September 2004 (04-4111) Council for Trade in Services
Special Session Original: English
communication from CANADA
On the importance of Mode 3 Commitments
The following communication, dated 29 September 2004, from the delegation of Canada is being circulated to the Members of the Council for Trade in Services.
_______________
ISSUE
The recent publication of UNCTAD’s World Investment Report 2004 (WIR 2004) entitled “
