RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONS/WPDR/W/7
23 May 2000
(00-2097)
Working Party on Domestic Regulation Original:  English
COMMUNICATION FROM POLAND
Disciplines on Domestic Regulation for Professional Services
Result of Consultation with Professional Sectors
The following communication has been received from the delegation of Poland with the
request that it be circulated to the Members of the Working Party on Domestic Regulation.
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A. SCOPE OF THE CONSULTATIONS
1. The consultations covered the following professions:  tax advisors, dentists, medical doctors,
veterinary surgeons, nurses, midwives, real estate agents (estate management agents, property
evaluation agents and intermediation agents), patent agents, geodetic surveyors and map-makers.
B. THE RESULTS OF THE CONSULTATIONS
2. As regards medical professions and real estate agents the Polish professional associations
would be ready to adopt the existing text of disciplines on accountancy without any amendments.
3. A different opinion was presented by organizations of patent agents and tax advisors. They
are very cautious about the possibility to accept the accountancy disciplines in their professions.  Inparticular tax advisors proposed amendments to the provisions on licensing requirements,
qualification requirements and qualification procedures.
4. An important issue for geodetic surveyors and map-makers is to ensure the quality of the
service.  Any liberalization steps should in no case adversely affect this quality.  Furthermore, the new
rules on domestic regulation should be adopted by all GATS Members without any reservations.  Thepurpose is to secure overall balance of rights and obligations.
C. C
ONCLUSIONS
5. There is some divergence of views among the Polish associations as to whether the
accountancy disciplines can be applicable to other professional services.  The consultations have so
far shown that one of the major concerns is to ensure that protection of the consumer as well as thequality of the service will not suffer from the development of any disciplines on domestic regulation.
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