WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONS/CSC/7
6 December 2002
(02-6742)
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON SPECIFIC COMMITMENTS
TO THE COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN SERVICES (2002)
1. Since its last report to the Council for Trade in Services, the Committee on Specific
Commitments held five formal meetings between 30 November 2001 and 24 October 20 02.  The
reports of these meetings are contained in documents S/CSC/M/21, 22, 23 and 23 Corr.1, 24 and 25.
The Committee’s work in this period focused on two items:  matters relating to the scheduling of
commitments, and classification issues.
I. MATTERS RELATING TO THE SCHEDULING OF COMMITMENTS
A. INCORPORATION OF COMMITMENTS RESULTING FROM THE CURRENT SERVICES NEGOTIATIONS
IN MEMBERS ' SCHEDULES
2. Members addressed technical issues arising from commitments that result from current
services negotiations and their relationship with exis ting commitments.  On the basis of a Secretariat
note (S/CSC/W/33), two scenarios were explored: "accumulation," where new commitments would
complement the existing set of a Member's commitments, and "replacement," which would result in asingle schedule for each Member at the end of the negotiations.  Without prejudice to the ultimate
legal relationship between pre-existing and new commitments, Members supported the concept of a
single consolidated schedule at the end of the negotiations.  It was agreed that offers should already be
submitted on the basis of draft consolidated schedules.  The Secretariat was requested to prepare such
draft schedules for all Members except those who preferred to undertake the consolidation
themselves.  Members agreed that the draft schedules  Would not have any legal status, but would be a
negotiating tool for delegations to present their offers.
B. A
PPROACHES TO THE SCHEDULING OF ADDITIONAL COMMITMENTS UNDER ARTICLE XVIII OF
THE GATS
3. Members discussed approaches to the scheduling of additional commitments under
Article XVIII of the GATS.  Based on a Secretariat note (S/C/W/34), several technical and systemic
issues were explored, including the role of Article XVIII in relation to other provisions of the GATSand the nature of commitments that could be taken under this Article.
II. CLASSIFICATION ISSUES
4. During the reporting period, the Committee discussed new classification proposals regarding
Legal Services (S/CSC/W/32 – proposal by Australia) and Computer and related Services
(S/CSC/W/35 – European Communities).  In addition, a proposal of MERCOSUR and Bolivia(S/CSS/W/108) on the classification of Post al and Courier Services was discussed.
5. To assist Members in taking stock of existing classification proposals and to facilitate
discussion, the Secretariat was requested to prepare a compendium of these proposals (Job (02)/143).
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