WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONS/L/97
11 June 2001
(01-2923)
Council for Trade in Services Original:  English
CERTIFICATION
Schedule of Specific Commitments in Basic Telecommunications of:
Brazil
Notification of Objection from Japan
The following communication has been received from the delegation of Japan concerning the
certification of Brazil's Schedule of Specific Commitments in Basic Telecommunications
(S/C/W/191).
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With reference to document S/C/W/191, dated 27 April 2001, containing Brazil's revised
Schedule of Specific Commitments in Basic Telecommunications, Japan welcomes, in general terms,
the improvements made, in particular that on the binding Reference Paper included as additional
commitments.
Japan does, however, have some concern about headnote (iii) in Brazil's revised Schedule of
Specific Commitments, since the headnote could imply that there be room for a comprehensive
limitation on the participation of foreign capital.  If such a description is then used by other Members
in their Schedules of Specific Commitments, there will remain the possibility of impeding the legal
certainty or predictability of the GATS.
In view of the above concern and pursuant to the Decision by the Council for Trade in
Services on 14 April 2000 (S/L/84), Japan hereby objects at present to Brazil's revised Schedule of
Specific Commitments in Basic Telecommunications and wishes to enter into consultations with
Brazil in order to discuss on the way to reach a satisfactory solution.
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