RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE S/C/W/20
24February 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-0750)
Council forTrade inServices
MEETING OFCOUNCIL FOR TRADE INSERVICES, 5MARCH 1997
Annotated agenda
Theagenda ofthemeeting oftheCouncil forTrade inServices on5March 1997 hasbeen
circulated inWTO/AIR/538. Thisannotated agenda provides background information oneachagenda
item.
A. OBSERVERSTATUSFORINTERNATIONALINTERGOVERNMENTALORGANIZATIONS
1. Atitsmeeting of7February 1997, theGeneral Council invited other WTO Bodies toproceed
withthegrant ofobserver status tointernational intergovernmental organisations. TheCouncil for
Trade inServices isnowtherefore inaposition todecide towhich international organisations itwishes
togrant observer status. Thefourorganisations which havebeenattending Council meetings as
observers hitherto, onthebasisofadhocarrangements, aretheUnited Nations, UNCTAD, theIMF
andtheWorld Bank. Requests forobserver status havebeenreceived from 11other organisations.
They arelisted inS/C/W/19. Itwillofcourse bepossible fortheCouncil tomake further decisions
onthismatter atanysubsequent meetings.
B. THE APPOINTMENT OFCHAIRPERSONS OFTHE SUBSIDIARY BODIES
2. TheCouncil willbeinvited toapprove theappointment ofchairpersons fortheCommittee
onFinancial Services, theCommittee onSpecific Commitments, theWorking Party onProfessional
Services andtheWorking Party onGATS Rules. TheChairperson oftheCouncil willmake proposals
based onherconsultations withdelegations.
C. THE REPORT OFTHE GROUP ONBASIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS
3. TheCouncil willbeinvited totakenoteofthereport oftheGBT(S/GBT/4) anditsattachments.
Itwillalsobeinvited toapprove theformal derestriction oftheSchedules andLists ofArticle II
Exemptions annexed totheFourth Protocol, which comprise theresults ofthenegotiations onbasic
telecommunications. Derestriction isnecessary inorder thattheresults canbemade publicly available.
D. PROPOSED ESTABLISHMENT OFACOMMITTEE ONTELECOMMUNICATIONS
4. Ithasbeenproposed bytheUnited States thattheCouncil should establish acommittee on
telecommunications. Article XXIV oftheGATS authorises theCouncil toestablish suchsubsidiary
bodiesasitconsidersappropriate.TheDecisiononInstitutionalArrangementsfortheGeneralAgreement
onTrade inServices ,adopted on15December 1993(page 456ofthelegaltextsoftheResults ofthe
Uruguay Round) contains anon-exhaustive listoftheresponsibilities ofanysectoral committees which
maybeestablished.S/C/W/20
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E. NOTIFICATIONS MADE TOTHE COUNCIL PURSUANT TOGATS PROVISIONS
5. TheCouncil willbeinvited totakenoteofthefollowing notifications:
(i) Notifications pursuant toArticle III:3oftheGATS (concerning new, orchanges in
existing, laws, regulations oradministrative guidelines affecting trade inservices covered by
specific commitments). Communications from:
Czech Republic S/C/N/39
Liechtenstein S/C/N/40
Liechtenstein S/C/N/41
Liechtenstein S/C/N/42
Federal Republic ofGermany S/C/N/48
Federal Republic ofGermany S/C/N/49
Federal Republic ofGermany S/C/N/50
(ii) Notifications pursuant toArticle V(bis)oftheGATS (concerning economic integration
agreements). Communications from:
Denmark S/C/N/34
Iceland S/C/N/35
Norway S/C/N/36
Sweden S/C/N/37
Finland S/C/N/38
(iii) Notifications pursuant toArticle VII:4 oftheGATS (concerning recognition measures
andagreements orarrangements). Communications from:
Switzerland S/C/N/31
Switzerland S/C/N/32
Switzerland S/C/N/33
United States ofAmerica S/C/N/51
United States ofAmerica S/C/N/52
United States ofAmerica S/C/N/53
F. THEIMPLEMENTATION OFTHEWORK PROGRAMME APPROVED BYMINISTERS
ATTHE SINGAPORE MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE;
i. THE EXCHANGE OFINFORMATION EXERCISE
6. Inadopting thereport oftheGeneral Council totheSingapore Ministerial Conference, Ministers
decided thattheCouncil should develop aninformation exchange programme asdescribed in
paragraph 47ofthereport oftheCouncil forTrade inServices totheGeneral Council (S/C/3 of
6November 1996). TheCouncil isrequired toagree themodalities andtiming ofthisprogramme
during 1997. Itissuggested thatconsideration ofmodalities might cover, interalia,thenature of
theinformation tobeexchanged, itsform, andtherelevant procedures.
ii. THE ARTICLE VI:4WORK PROGRAMME
7. TheCouncil isrequired toundertake theworkprogramme relating toqualification requirements
andprocedures, technical standards andlicensing requirements assetoutinArticle VI:4oftheGATS,S/C/W/20
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withaviewtotaking thework asfaraspossible before thenextround ofliberalisation negotiations.
TheCouncil maytherefore wishtoconsider themodalities ofthisexercise.
iii. THE GUIDELINES FOR NEGOTIATIONS
8. TheCouncil isrequired tobegin atanappropriate timetheconsideration ofguidelines and
procedures fornegotiations mandated under Article XIXoftheGATS. Article XIX:3 setsoutthe
approach tobetaken inestablishing theguidelines.
G. INSTALLATION OFTHE NEW CHAIRMAN
9. Following theconsensus established inthemeeting oftheGeneral Council on7February 1997,
theCouncil willbeinvited toelectAmbassador JounYung SUN ofKorea asitsChairman.
H. OTHER BUSINESS