WTO members participating in the Joint Initiative on Services Domestic Regulation finalized preparations for the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC12) at their meeting on 18 November, paving the way for a positive outcome at MC12 which starts later this month. The Philippines became the 66th WTO member to join the initiative.
A total of 60 WTO members participating in the negotiations have circulated schedules of commitments setting out how they intend to incorporate the new disciplines on services domestic regulation into their existing WTO commitments.
Several participants have added new sectors, such as environmental and business services, to their schedules while all participants intend to apply the discipline on non-discrimination between men and women to their authorization procedures. This is the first time a WTO negotiated text contains such a provision.
The objective of the new disciplines is to mitigate the unintended trade-restrictive effects of measures relating to licensing requirements and procedures, qualification requirements and procedures, and technical standards. By improving the predictability and transparency of regulatory frameworks for authorization procedures for service suppliers, participants aim to create a more conducive environment for services trade.
Mr Jaime Coghi, who coordinates the negotiations, praised participants for their “constructive engagement”, for “listening to each other in the spirit of problem-solving, flexibility and compromise”, and for “producing the first services outcome in the WTO in 24 years”.