Séminaire sur les commerce des services Organisé par IsDB Casablanca, 15 – 18 juin 2009

« The voice of the European Service Industries for International Trade Negotiations in Services »


Séminaire sur les commerce des servicesOrganisé par IsDB

Casablanca, 15 – 18 juin 2009

“STATE OF PLAY OF THE WTO NEGOTIATIONS"

Pascal Kerneis - Managing DirectorESF (European Services Forum)


• DDA Launched in Nov. 2001 in Doha Qatar• + 400 Initial requests (EU= 109 in 2002, 103 Revised R. in 2005)• Failure of Cancun Ministerial in 2003• Hong Kong WTO Ministerial Declaration in Dec. 2005

Call for more revised offersAllow “plurilateral approach” in Annex C

• Missed deadlines– a) Revised Offers = 31 July 2006– b) Draft Final Offers = 31 October 2006

69 Initial offers and 29 Improved Offers (as of today June 2009)

State of play of the GATS Negotiations (1)


• But Suspension of the negotiations on 24 July 2006• Soft revival of the negotiations in Geneva on 16

November 2006.• Continuation of the work in Geneva among the “Friends

of Services”, notably through the “22 Collective Requests in the Plurilateral Process, involving +/- 30 countries (EU=1)

• Formal « Full Fledge » negotiations on 27 January 2007 after WEF

• Chairmen’s Texts proposals on Ag, NAMA, & Services: 02/2008



• WTO Mini-Ministerial meeting in July 2008 in Geneva• Signalling Conference on Services with encouraging progress.• 31 countries participated (EU=1), including 7 IDB Members

(Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia, Morocco, Pakistan, Turkey)

• but Failure because of US-India on SSM,… 80% done, but Never went up to the end.

• Nov 08: US Elections, 04/09: New USTR Ron Kirk, US Trade Policy Review, …

• 05/09: Indian Elections, New Trade Minister Anand Sharma (Reformist?)

• G20, OECD, G8, WTO “Normal Ministerial” in Nov-Dec 09 - DDA Conclusion?



PARTICIPATION OF IDB MEMBERS TO THE GATS NEGOTIATIONS

1. Bahrain (GCC)2. Brunei (ASEAN)3. Egypt

(EuroMed)4. Indonesia (ASEAN)5. Jordan

(EuroMed)6. Gabon (EPA –

West)7. Malaysia (ASEAN)

8. Morocco (EuroMed)9. Pakistan10. Qatar (GCC)11. Senegal (EPA

West)12. Tunisia

(EuroMed)13. Turkey (EU

Acc.)14. UAE (GCC)

A. GATS Initial Offers : 13 countries (out of 56)

B. GATS Revised Offers : 4 countries1. Bahrain 3. Malaysia2. Egypt 2. Turkey


Participation of ACP countries in DDA GATS negotiations

14 ACP countries have tabled an initial offer = Barbados; Dominica; Gabon; Grenada; Guyana; Fiji, Jamaica; Kenya; Mauritius; St. Chris & Nevis; St. Lucia; St Vincent & Grenadine; Senegal; Trinidad & Tobago

4 African Countries;

9 Caribbean Countries;

1 Pacific Region;

2 ESA Region;

0 SADC (1: S.A.)

46

8,6

0

10

20

30

40

50

ACP

% pays de l'OMC % des offres déposées


Why Europe needs successful Services Negotiations? To improve our access to foreign markets, so that Europe can maintain its economic development, largely based on the service economy and its capacity to export (+60% of European workers in private services sectors, 20% of them work for the export). To improve market access within the EU to foreign service suppliers so that the services sectors continue to create jobs in Europe and keep their competitive advantage (+10% of the European employees in private services sectors are working for a foreign controlled company, thanks to the openness of our economy). Between 2000 and 2004, the last year for which aggregate figures are available, over 8m jobs were created in services in Europe, while 2,8 m were lost in industry and agriculture


Preliminary Assessment of non EU Initial Offers:

Assessment Countries Issues positive (+) or negative (-)

Acceptable Japan, Korea, Norway, Switzerland, Liechtenstein

Mode 4 (+), Business services (+), Tourism (+), Telecoms (+),

Legal services (+), Courier services (+)

Average New Zealand,

Hong-Kong,

Panama

Mode 4 (+), Business services (+), engineering (+), Postal (+)

Financial services (-),

Disappointing US, Australia, Canada, India,

Brasil

Mode 4 (-), Telecoms (-), Transports (-), Financial services (-), IT(+), Legal services (+)


Facts and ESF Preliminary Assessment Countries

A No Initial Offer in the DDA 82 countries, i.e. 54% of WTO Membership !!!

B

Do Not Know about Financial services - Restricted Initial (or Revised) Offers (25)

Albania, Barbados, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Gabon, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Macao - China, Macedonia, Nicaragua, Qatar, St Lucia, St Vincent & Grenadines, Senegal, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Suriname

CNo Commitments in Initial or Revised Offer (10)

Bolivia, Colombia, Israel, Peru, Philippines, Costa-Rica, Fiji, Grenada, St Kit & Nevis,

D

Weak or Disappointing Offers (21 countries, incl. 15 Revised Offers)

Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Chinese Taipei, Egypt, Honk Kong - China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Paraguay, Singapore, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Uruguay

E Insufficient Offers (6)Australia, Guatemala, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, USA

F Decent & Acceptable Offers (8)Argentina, Bahrain, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Mauritius, Morocco, Norway, Panama

ESF Assessment of Financial Services offers


CONCLUSION

The GATS negotiations are very slow, But they remain the priority of the EU Services Business community. The offers on the table are very bad,But, we have collected some signals that many can be substantially improved. Binding of the current practice is a must to help to go out of the crisis,But it will not be sufficient to ensure the conclusion of the round.


THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!

Pascal KERNEIS

Managing Director

European Services Forum – ESF

168, Avenue de Cortenbergh

B – 1000 – BRUSSELS

Tel: + 32 2 230 75 14

Fax: + 32 2 320 61 68

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.esf.be

Documents

Séminaire sur les commerce des services Organisé par IsDB Casablanca, 15 – 18 juin 2009