The GATS Waiver – some key issues Achim Seiler, Trade Consultant and Capacity Building Specialist, Kathmandu EU-Project: Trade and Private Sector Development (TPSD) TPSD is implemented by in cooperation with and

Preferential Access Offers (I) Australia Canada China EU Hong Kong Japan New Zealand Norway Korea Singapore Switzerland Taiwan Horizontal Mode 3 X Mode 4 Source: Trade Insights No 13

Preferential Access Offers (II) Australia Canada China EU Hong Kong Japan New Zealand Norway Korea Singapore Switzerland Taiwan Sectors 1. Business X 2. Communication 3. Construction 4. Distribution 5. Education 6. Environment

Preferential Access Offers (III) Australia Canada China EU Hong Kong Japan New Zealand Norway Korea Singapore Switzerland Taiwan Sectors 7. Financial X 8. Health 9. Tourism 10. Recreation 11. Transport 12. Other

Steps to make use of the Waiver (I) Obtain, analyse and distribute services trade data Host national and regional awareness-raising workshops Establish inter-agency services coordinating mechanisms Build a coalition of services industries PPP-dialogue on services Facilitate training for export-ready SME services suppliers Conduct services trade promotion activities Participate in international services fairs Undertake competitiveness self-assessment process Kick-start on an ongoing response to the waiver

Steps to make use of the Waiver (II) Obtain, analyse and distribute services trade data analyze existing services trade flows identify potential growth prospects identify services export potential provide for a trade intelligence distribution mechanism

Steps to make use of the Waiver (III) Host national and regional awareness-raising Workshops Hold regular workshops with stakeholders on the importance and opportunities in services trade Discuss the latest international developments and how to maximize the export potential Invite business representatives and trade promotion organizations from preference-granting countries - Development good practice principles to foster enabling business environments for services (exports)

Steps to make use of the Waiver (IV) Establish inter-agency services coordinating mechanisms Ensure that all relevant government agencies come together under one coordinating umbrella Determine whole-of-government strategies with respect to the services sector Incorporate the potential benefits from the LDC services waiver into the national development plans - Develop and implement a roadmap for services exports

Steps to make use of the Waiver (V) Build a coalition of services industries Group local business champions together into various different business support platforms Bring together services providers and services users from business (including manufacturers), government policy makers and regulators, and academic researchers to support evidence based discussions. Advocate on behalf of services associations with the government or at international level Provide export-focused services to the members

Steps to make use of the Waiver (VI) Public-private dialogue on services - Improve the business environment for services exports - Enhance transparency and efficiency at the regulatory level - Whole-of-government engagement in developing industry competitiveness roadmaps for all services subsectors - Foster collaboration and best practice exchanges to overcome barriers and promote services growth

Steps to make use of the Waiver (VII) Facilitate training for export-ready SME services suppliers - Provide training courses on human resources, client relationship building, reputation, on-line functionality, access to finance, standards conformance, marketing, branding, transfer and adaptation of technology, intellectual property protection, innovation coaching, investment partnerships, entry into international value chains - Support LDC services centres of excellence in specific services sub-sectors

Steps to make use of the Waiver (VIII) Conduct trade promotion activities Business matchmaking and associated regulatory advocacy Hosting and participating in anchor events and conferences Attracting inward foreign investment (regulatory one stop shops and visa facilitation Promoting local clusters of services excellence

Steps to make use of the Waiver (IX) Participate in international services fairs Organize trips of business delegations to key preference-granting countries Participate effectively in international services fairs Gather and disseminate export success stories Put into practice newly learned services export promotional skills

Steps to make use of the Waiver (X) Undertake competitiveness self-assessment process Investigate constraints imposed by the complexity of the business environment, by duplication and opaqueness of regulation, by restrictions on access to finance, by rigidities and other inefficiencies in employment laws, by burdensome regulatory compliance costs and by regulatory regimes which allow insufficient scope for business flexibility to adjust to rapid change Weakness of regulatory institutions and governance frameworks for services

Thank you seiler.achim@yahoo.de