[governance] US, trade allies push for international services talks

[Riaz K Tayob]

  http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/19/wto-services-idUSL1E8KJ8Q520120919



  US, trade allies push for international services talks

September 19, 2012, 12:59pm EDT

By Doug Palmer 
<http://blogs.reuters.com/search/journalist.php?edition=us&n=Doug.Palmer>

WASHINGTON, Sept 19 (Reuters) - A proposed international agreement to 
reduce barriers to trade in service sectors ranging from banking to 
telecommunications would give the global economy a much-needed boost, 
top trade officials said on Wednesday.

"This is a huge opportunity to spur economic prosperity and job growth," 
U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said in a speech at a conference of 
global companies eager for new markets to sell their services.

With the nearly 11-year-old Doha round of world trade talks all but 
officially dead, the United States and 19 other members of the World 
Trade Organization have been exploring the idea of negotiating an 
international services agreement.

"It is our collective plea to the world to take the open shot," Kirk 
said, using a basketball analogy to argue for countries to launch talks 
aimed at quickly reaching a high-quality pact. "We need to put points on 
the board."

Major emerging economies such as China, Brazil and India have been cool 
to the idea. But global services companies want the 20 members, which 
include the 27-nation European Union and other developed and developing 
countries, to press ahead.

"I think the important thing is just to get something moving," New 
Zealand Trade Minister Tim Groser said, expressing optimism that "other 
important countries" could be brought into the negotiations once they start.

Mexico's Ambassador to the WTO Fernando De Mateo said negotiators should 
aim for a pact within 12 months, once talks start. Other negotiators 
also expressed the desire for a speedy negotiation.

Michael Punke, U.S. ambassador to the WTO, said the 20 countries would 
meet again in Geneva in early October to consider the next steps.

"I think we should skip the ritual dance and dive right in," said Punke, 
who also expressed hope that more WTO members would join in.

Canadian Trade Minister Ed Fast said negotiators should shoot for an 
ambitious agreement that sets a high-standard of market openness without 
"constantly keeping our eyes on the emerging economies" and worrying if 
they can match the commitments.

South Korean Trade Minister Taeho Bark and several other speakers said 
the agreement should be crafted in way that its commitments can 
eventually be "multilateralized" among all WTO members.

A number of negotiators said the pact could be forged by consolidating 
the most ambitious services chapters of existing free trade agreements, 
and complementing that with new market-opening commitments.

Kirk said the United States favored a "negative list" to the talks, 
meaning the pact would cover all services sectors unless they are 
specifically excluded. Others favor a "positive" list, which liberalizes 
only those sectors specifically mentioned.

Punke and senior EU trade official Joao Machado said a compromise on 
that issue was likely, with countries using a "hybrid" approach.

"The imperative for us is to get this train rolling down the tracks," 
while keeping open the possibility for Brazil, India, China and other 
countries to join, Kirk said.

"This is a train with nothing but first-class service. So if you get on 
late, you're not going to have to get on in the back with the cows and 
the pigs ... This is a Eurostar," Kirk said.

----

© Thomson Reuters 2011. All rights reserved.




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