NOTICIAS:
NOTICIAS 2000
25 February 2000
Services negotiations formally launched
The special session of the Services Council formally launched on Friday 25 February the new negotiations on services. Members agreed to work in the next few months on guidelines and procedures for the new negotiations. Overall, the negotiations will comprise two phases:
- the "rules-making" phase during which Members will negotiate new rules for services on subsidies, safeguards and government procurement;
- and the "request and offer" phase, where Members will negotiate further market access.
While work in the first phase will mostly take place in the existing services committees - mostly in the Working Party on GATS rules - market access negotiations will take place in special sessions of the Services Council.
At the same time, the Services Council will continue its mandated work on the reviews in
regular meetings: review of MFN
exemptions ; review of the Annex
on Air Transport Services and review of the Understanding on Accounting Rates (S/GBT/4). The Committee on Specific
Commitments is currently drafting procedures for the certification and modification of
services schedules and continues its work on the classification of services. The Working
Party on Domestic Regulations carries on its task of drafting disciplines for all services
sectors.
The week of 10 April was agreed as the date for the next round of services meetings.