GUIDELINES FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF NATIONAL AND SUBREGIONAL INTERESTS IN NEGOTIATIONS ON SERVICES

1
GUIDELINES FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF NATIONAL
AND SUBREGIONAL INTERESTS IN NEGOTIATIONS ON
SERVICES

• UNCTAD
• Commercial Diplomacy Programme

2
Some starting points to define the negotiating
strategy

• Identify the sectors or subsectors where the
  country has a strong comparative advantage those
  are the priorities, where the main negotiatin
  objectives have to be set.
• Focus on markets which offer growth prospects for
  exporters, and determine if a better market
  access could be achieved with bilateral,
  subregional or multilateral negotiations.
• Identify the barriers for the domestic exports in
  those markets are they determined by
  governmental measures?
• What are the domestic sectors or subsectors that
  could be included in the offer list as
  concessions in exchange of the objectives?

3
Regarding the GATS 2000

• Assess the implementation of the GATS
• Costs and benefits in terms of
• creation of employment
• transfer of technology
• new FDI
• new exports
• new imports
• future trends and prospects.
• Identify if there is a need for new rules in the
  GATS (i.e. on competition, subsidies,
  implementation of art.IV) or if the schedules of
  commitments need to be changed.

4
Regarding the GATS 2000

• Analyse the objectives of other WTO members and
  their proposals submitted at the WTO before the
  Seattle Conference, particularly those of
  developing countries, as well as the implications
  for the national position.
• Identify potential allies (developed or
  developing countries) in the negotiating process.
• Keep an eye on agriculture negotiations there
  may be trade-offs and links with services in
  the future. Watch out for possible future links
  with e-commerce.

5
At the subregional level

• Questions to be discussed among all members of
  the subregional agreement
• what is the role of trade in services among
  members?
• Are services a key factor in the development
  strategies of the members?
• Are they a key factor in the consolidation of the
  subregaional agreement?
• What provisions should be adopted to foster trade
  in services among members?
• Costs and benefits of a deeper liberalisation
  among members vis-a-vis a multilateral
  liberalisation?
• Therefore, what kind of preferential margin for
  trade in services should be left (if any) in the
  multilateral negotiations?
• There is room for a common position and a common
  list of offers/requests?

6
Put together all these elements to initiate

• Consultations at the domestic level with the
  national entrepreneurs involved in services.
• Consultations at the subregional level.
• Consultations in Geneva with other WTO member
  states.
• Establish a mechanism to monitor the GATS 2000
  negotiations and to adjust the negotiating
  strategies during the process.