. /.  
RESTRICTED  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/REG127/M/3 
10 November 2004 
 
 (04-4781) 
Committee on Regional Trade Agreements 
Thirty-Seventh Session  
 
 
 
EXAMINATION OF THE FREE TRADE AGREEMENT BETWEEN  
NEW ZEALAND AND SINGAPORE (SERVICES) 
 
Note on the Meeting of 7 October 2004  
 
Chairman: Mr. R. Saborío Soto (Costa Rica) 
 
 
1. The meeting was convened in document WTO/AIR/2393. 
2. Under Agenda Item B.II of its Thirty-Seven th Session, the Committee on Regional Trade 
Agreements (hereinafter CRTA or the Committee)  took up the third round of examination of the 
services aspects of the Agreement on a Closer Ec onomic Partnership (CEP) between New Zealand 
and Singapore. 
3. The Chairman  noted that previous examination rounds  had been held in November 2002 and 
December 2003 with the minutes circulated as documents WT/REG127/M/1 and WT/REG127/M/2 
and Corrigendum 1.  Given that the factual exam ination of the goods aspects of the Agreement had 
been concluded in December 2003, the Committ ee would examine only the services aspects in the 
day's meeting.  Since the last meeting, no written questions on the services aspects of the Agreement 
had been received. Given the advanced stage of th e examination, he asked delegations wishing to 
comment or ask questions on the Agreement to iden tify the relevant section of the Standard Format 
(document WT/REG127/4). 
4. The representative of the United States  said that given that the Parties had termed the CEP as 
a "dynamic living Agreement" in 2001, and that it had been in force for nearly four years, he asked  
them to advise the Committee on developments which had occurred since its entry into force.  In 
2002, the Parties had identified the telecommunica tions equipment, chemicals and food sectors as 
priority areas for further work.  In 2002, the Par ties had agreed to review their respective services 
schedules at least every two years with the intentio n to add progressively to their existing services 
commitments which had been made on a positive list basis.  Also, during the First Ministerial Review of the CEP in 2002, a priority list of ten sectors, including engineers and doctors, had been identified 
for work towards mutual recognition of qualifications  and registration.  He wondered if the Parties 
could provide an update on the work accomplished to date with respect to all these elements.  He also 
asked if there had been a review of rules of origin mandated by Article 5.6 of the Agreement and if so, 
what the findings were.  Finally, he wondered if th e Parties had had recourse to  use of the dispute 
settlement mechanism, and if so, what the circum stances and outcome were.  Upon request made by 
the representative of New Zealand,
 the representative of the United States  agreed to submit his 
questions in writing.   
5. The Chairman  said that after that third round of exam ination of the services aspects of the 
Agreement on a Closer Economic Partnership be tween New Zealand and Singapore some issues, 
remained outstanding.  He asked delegations wishi ng to submit questions to do so in writing by 29 
October and for the Parties to provide written resp onses by 3 December.  Once the replies had been WT/REG127/M/3 
Page 2  
 
distributed the Committee could consider the exam ination concluded.  Any further requests for 
information could be dealt with without holdin g another formal round of examination.  The 
Secretariat could then draw up the examination report.  
6. The Committee took note
 of the comments made.  
__________ 
 
 