RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE WT/REG/W/14
6May1997
ORGANIZATION(97-1952)
Committee onRegional Trade Agreements
STANDARD FORMAT FOR INFORMATION ON
ECONOMIC INTEGRATION AGREEMENTS ONSERVICES1
Note bytheChairman
Theobjective oftheStandard Format forInformation onEconomic Integration Agreements
onServices istofacilitate andstandardize theprovision ofinitial information byparties toregional
tradeagreements. Parties mayadhere totherequirements oftheStandard Format onavoluntary basis;
inthisrespect, itshould beviewed astheChairman 'sguidelines onbasic information thatcould be
provided byparties notifying regional trade agreements totheWTO.
Inlinewiththeterms ofreference adopted fortheexamination ofeconomic integration
agreementsonservices,theStandardFormatconstitutesaguidethatcouldbefollowedtoproviderelevant
information fortheexamination process. Theinformation requested inthisStandard Format does
notprejudge thescope andcoverage oftheconsistency aspect oftheexamination process, nordoes
itreplacetherequirementforpartiestoeconomicintegrationagreementsonservicestoprovideMembers
withallrelevant textsoflawsandtrade data. Further, itdoesnotpreclude Members from posing
questions inwriting andseeking additional information from parties (Article V:7(a) oftheGATS).
Astheinformation sought intheStandard Format relates primarily totradedisciplines applied
inaccordance withtheeconomic integration agreements, itisunlikely thattherewould beaduplication
oftheinformation submitted toother WTO Bodies. Nevertheless, intheevent thatwere thecase,
Members could avoid anyunnecessary administrative burden bycross-referencing other WTO
documentation where relevant information isalready recorded. TheSecretariat would ensure the
information isprovided fortheexamination process.
1TheCommittee onRegional Trade Agreements, atitsmeeting on2May1997, tooknoteoftheStandard
Format forInformation onEconomic Integration Agreements onServices.WT/REG/W/14
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STANDARD FORMAT FOR INFORMATION ON
ECONOMIC INTEGRATION AGREEMENTS ONSERVICES
Chairman 'sGuidelines
I. Background Information ontheAgreement
1. Membership anddates ofsignature, ratification andentry intoforce.
2. Typeofagreement including adescription ofthestructure oftheagreement andthemechanism
fortheeconomic integration.
Integration agreement, agreement including developing countries, agreement involving only
developing countries, interim agreement.
Planandschedule.
Relationship oftheAgreement toanywider process ofeconomic integration ortrade
liberalization andadescription ofthatprocess anditsaims.
3. Scope
Sectors orsub-sectors andmodes ofdelivery within eachparticular sector covered by,and
excluded from, theAgreement. Ways, ifrelevant, inwhich these exclusions areachieved.
Sectors, sub-sectors andmodes ofdelivery tobecovered bytheAgreement atalaterstage.
4. Economic andTrade data
Totheextent possible:
- Dataontradeinservices among theparties totheagreement forthemostrecent period
forwhich statistics areavailable, according tomajor sectors orsub-sectors covered
by,andexcluded from theAgreement andtodifferent modes ofdelivery.
- Dataontradeinservices between theparties totheagreement andtherestoftheworld
fordifferent representative periods.
- Dataonnational product oftheparties totheagreement inservices sectors.
II. Provisions Affecting Trade inServices
1. Provisions oftheagreement relating totheelimination ofArticle XVII inconsistent measures.
Discriminatory restrictions inthesense ofArticle XVII oftheGATS including measures
inconsistent withbothArticles XVIandXVII currently inplace among theparties, andthe
time-frame orschedule foreseen intheAgreement fortheirdismantling. Restrictions thatwill
remain ineffect aftertheAgreement isfullyimplemented.
1.1 Treatment ofServices andServices Providers from Third Countries.
Methodology forestablishing acommon treatment inrelation tothird countries is
relevant. Information onnegotiations under Article V:5oftheGATS where applicable,
andinparticular proposed modifications totheschedules ofspecific commitments.WT/REG/W/14
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2. Rules oforigin
Criteria usedforthepurpose ofdetermining theorigin ofservices orservice suppliers:
- Conditions required tosecure thelegalrecognition ofajuridical person ofaparty to
theagreement. Criteria which specify thenotion of"substantive business operations".
- Criteria andprocedures usedunder Article V:6.
- Where applicable, nature ofthetreatment granted bydeveloping Members asprovided
forunder Article V:3(b), asregards theirnational andthethirdcountry suppliers.
- Changes, ifany,inthecriteria usedforthepurpose ofdetermining theorigin ofservices
orservice suppliers (from theparties orfrom thirdcountries) introduced asaresult
oftheimplementation oftheAgreement.
3. Standards/Recognition
Whatprovisionsarethereintheagreementrelatingtoqualificationrequirementsandprocedures,
technical standards andlicensing requirements? Howaretheparties totheagreement going
about therecognition oftheirstandards orcriteria fortheauthorization, licensing orcertification
ofservice suppliers (from theparties orfrom thirdcountries)?
4. Safeguards
Description ofanyemergency measures andother safeguard mechanisms contained inthe
Agreement (e.g.balance-of-payments difficulties, developmental matters, special safeguards).
Information onwhether theparties intend toapply acommon safeguard regime toservices
orservice suppliers from thirdparties. Information onwhether theAgreement provides for
theexclusion ofparties totheAgreement from safeguard measures applied tothirdparties.
5. Subsidies andState-aid
Description ofanytreatment provided forintheAgreement relating tosubsidies andState-aid,
andanindication oftheremedies available under theAgreement tocounter theireffects on
intra-trade.
6. DescriptionofanytreatmentprovidedforintheAgreementrelatingtogovernmentprocurement.
7. Sector-specific provisions
Totheextent notcovered elsewhere, specific provisions applicable toanytrade inindividual
services sectors. Information onwhether theparties intend toapply anycommon sector-specific
regime toservices orservice providers from thirdcountries.
III. General Provisions oftheAgreement
1. Exceptions andreservations
General andsecurity exceptions provided forintheAgreement. Reservations entered into
byanyoftheparties totheAgreement.
2. Accession
Information onanyprovision allowing other countries toaccede totheAgreement.
3. Dispute settlement proceduresWT/REG/W/14
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Description ofthemechanisms provided forresolving disputes among parties totheAgreement,
anditsrelationship withintergovernmental dispute settlement instruments entered intobythe
parties under other bilateral, plurilateral and/or multilateral agreements.
4. Relation withother trade agreements
Information relating towhether ornottheAgreement establishes anyspecific relation with
other bilateral, plurilateral and/or multilateral trade agreements.
5. Institutional framework
Structure andfunctions ofintergovernmental and/or supranational institutions created tooperate
theAgreement. Responsibilities ofnational entities forformulating andimplementing policies
relating totheAgreement.
IV. Other
Fortransparency purposes, anyother relevant information related totheprovisions ofthe
Agreement.