Activities
will be primarily directed towards helping developing countries to
implement their commitments on basic telecommunications, began on
1 January 1998.
The
Secretariat will continue its activities to enhance the participation
of developing countries in ongoing negotiations in key areas like
subsidies, government procurement and safeguards, as well as ensuring
that domestic regulations, such as qualification requirements, technical
standards and licensing requirements, do not constitute unnecessary
barriers to trade in services.
Technical
cooperation activities will focus on equipping developing countries
to participate more effectively in the next round of comprehensive
services negotiations, due to begin no later than the year 2000. The
scope of these activities is usefully indicated by Article XIX:3 of
the GATS:
For
each round, negotiating guidelines and procedures shall be established.
For the purposes of establishing such guidelines, the Council for
Trade in Services shall carry out an assessment of trade in services
in overall terms and on a sectoral basis with reference to the objectives
of this Agreement, including those set out in paragraph 1 of Article
IV. Negotiating guidelines shall establish modalities for the treatment
of liberalization undertaken autonomously by Members since previous
negotiations, as well as for the special treatment for least-developed
country Members under the provisions of paragraph 3 of Article IV.
It
is also relevant that the Council for Trade in Services in its Report
to the General Council in preparation for the Singapore Ministerial
stated:
The
Council for Trade in Services will develop an information exchange
programme. The aim of this programme is to facilitate the access of
all Members, in particular developing country Members, to information
regarding laws, regulations, administrative guidelines and policies
affecting trade in services in order to contribute to the assessment
of trade in services which would assist future negotiations in the
services sector.
The
Secretariat will assist developing countries in three areas:
