WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONS/WPPS/3
4 December 1998
(98-4903)
Working Party on Professional Services
REPORT OF THE WORKING PARTY ON PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
TO THE COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN SERVICES
1. The WPPS has held eleven formal, and several informal, meetings in the period December
1997 to December 1998.  Minutes of the formal m eetings are contained in WPPS documents M/14
through M/24. Discussions of the WPPS  have focused on the development of multilateral disciplines
on domestic regulation in the accountancy sector, together with the issue of the legal form for their
adoption.
2. As a result of discussions and comments in the context of WPPS meetings, the Secretariat
was asked to prepare several revisions of the informal Note,  Disciplines on Domestic Regulation in
the Accountancy Sector  – the tenth revision was dated 17 July 1998.  Discussion on the text of the
disciplines on accountancy was substantially concluded at the WPPS meeting of 29 July 1998, except
for one outstanding reservation.  At the meeting of 4 December Members reached a consensus on thedisciplines.
3. The WPPS  addressed the question of the legal form which the accountancy disciplines might
take.  The following options were discussed:  an  Annex to the GATS;  additional commitments to be
scheduled by Members;  and a decision by the Council to adopt the text of the disciplines with the
intention to make them legally binding at a later stage.  Members supported the option of a Council
Decision.  A draft decision was adopted ad referendum  on 4 December.
4. Members discussed issues relating to the relationship between the disciplines on accountancy
developed under Article VI:4 and other provisions of the GATS, in particular Articles XVI (market
access) and XVII (national treatment).  It was noted that the new disciplines on accountancy must not
overlap with other provisions already existing in the GATS so as to avoid legal uncertainty.
5. The issue of the future work of the WPPS was discussed.  The Working Party agreed to
continue its work pursuant to its terms of reference;  in doing so it shall aim to develop general
disciplines for professional services while retaining the possibility to develop or revise sectoral
disciplines including accountancy, taking into account any decisions which may be taken in theCouncil regarding work on Article VI:4.  The expa nsion of the Mutual Recognition Guidelines for
accountancy to accommodate other professional services sectors was also suggested as a possible
element of the future work of the WPPS.
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