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DECISION ONPROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Ministers decide torecommend thattheCouncil forTrade inServices atitsfirstmeeting adopt
thedecision setoutbelow.
TheCouncil forTrade inServices,
Recognizing theimpact ofregulatory measures relating toprofessional qualifications, technical
standards andlicensing ontheexpansion oftrade inprofessional services;
Desiring toestablish multilateral disciplines withaview toensuring that, when specific
commitments areundertaken, suchregulatory measures donotconstitute unnecessary barriers tothe
supply ofprofessional services;
Decides asfollows:
1. Thework programme foreseen inparagraph 4ofArticle VIonDomestic Regulation should
beputintoeffect immediately. Tothisend,aWorking Party onProfessional Services shall be
established toexamine andreport, withrecommendations, onthedisciplines necessary toensure that
measures relating toqualification requirements andprocedures, technical standards andlicensing
requirements inthefieldofprofessional services donotconstitute unnecessary barriers totrade.
2. Asamatter ofpriority, theWorking Party shallmake recommendations fortheelaboration
ofmultilateral disciplines intheaccountancy sector, soastogiveoperational effect tospecific
commitments. Inmaking these recommendations, theWorking Party shallconcentrate on:
(a) developingmultilateraldisciplinesrelatingtomarketaccesssoastoensurethatdomestic
regulatory requirements are:(i)based onobjective andtransparent criteria, suchas
competence andtheability tosupply theservice; (ii)notmore burdensome than
necessary toensure thequality oftheservice, thereby facilitating theeffective
liberalization ofaccountancy services;
(b) theuseofinternational standards and,indoing so,itshallencourage thecooperation
with therelevant international organizations asdefined under paragraph 5(b)of
Article VI,soastogivefulleffect toparagraph 5ofArticle VII;
(c) facilitating theeffective application ofparagraph 6ofArticle VIoftheAgreement by
establishing guidelines fortherecognition ofqualifications.
Inelaborating these disciplines, theWorking Party shall takeaccount oftheimportance ofthe
governmental andnon-governmental bodies regulating professional services.