GPPC 2007 International ICT Trade Session Service Trade Negotiations November 5, 2007 Junko Kawauchi, JISA

“Friends of Computer Services” Milestones May 2002: Discussion paper on classification of IT services Feb. 2005: 14 WTO members issued joint statement calling for full liberalization of CRS Feb. 2006: 16 WTO members signed plurilateral request for full liberalization of CRS at 2-digit level (CPC 84): Australia Hong KongMexico Peru Canada India New Zealand Singapore Chile Japan Norway Taiwan EU Korea Pakistan US Feb. 2007: Understanding on Computer & Related Services

Service Negotiations: Waiting for Agri./NAMA Consensus Now preparing Chairman Mateo’s Text for the time when Agriculture / NAMA negotiations proceed

Important Points for Chairman Mateo’s Text: High level commitment Especially emerging countries’ governments need to commit service trade liberalization at the highest possible level Clear future timeframe Need clear future timeframe to be kept by members

Important Contents of Chairman’s Text Full commitment on CPC 84 Need full commitments on computer services at the 2-digit level (CPC 84) and maximum possible liberalization in: telecom services, consultancy services, and cross-border delivery of a range of services, etc. Time Frame Need to submit request & offer by next spring

Industry role Industry needs to push governments to open service market e-Commerce tariff moratorium Need to make moratorium on customs duties applied to electronic transmissions to be permanent

If any consensus cannot be reached by the end of this year : - How to hand over the already achieved result to next year/round? - Other frameworks for service negotiations? - What Industry can do for further service trade liberalization?

Thank you