<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class="">I would actually say that the situation is very different. <div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Firstly, the only way that a formal negotiation will happen amongst inside the WTO is ifthere is consensus amongst the entire membership to do that. Consensus at the WTO effectively means unanimity, and that’s a very scarce commodity. </div><div class=""><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Secondly, TISA is a plurilateral. For it to become a WTO agreement - which is what would be necessary for it to be deposited as mentioned below, the entire membership would have to agree that it becomes a WTO agreement. I see absolutely no political possibility that this would happen nor do I know of anyone who thinks that’s politically possible.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Thirdy, TISA is only services. A broad-based digital economy agreement would cover more than services.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">There are various ways for a plurilateral like TISA to be globalised which is I suspect what Carolina is getting at with the comment about it being deposited at the WTO. Perhaps the most straightforward - and it isn’t straightforward politically - is for the parties to it to agree they will extend it on an MFN basis to non-participating countries.<br class="">
<br class=""><div><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div class="">On 25 Jan 2016, at 12:22, Carolina Rossini <<a href="mailto:carolina.rossini@gmail.com" class="">carolina.rossini@gmail.com</a>> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div class=""><div style="font-family: OpenSans; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;" class="">yes, that is true...there will not be negotiation<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b class="">IF</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>the strategy is to just have other countries sign on to TISA when that one is deposited at WTO and open for additional signatories (which we have heard of already) </div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div></blockquote></div><br class=""></div></div></body></html>