Negotiating Services Market Access under the E-commerce Joint Statement Initiative: A development perspective
Along with providing an update on the negotiating state of play, the author describes the requests involving services market access that have been submitted by participating WTO Members and which modes of supply these requests would fall under. The brief then examines the issues that may affect the pace of the negotiations going forward, along with reviewing what further commitments from developing countries on services market access could mean.
The brief concludes with short guiding questions that developing countries could consider as they decide on their negotiating positions.
This material has been produced with funding by UK aid from the UK Government. The Umbrella Grant is a project of the Trade and Investment Advocacy Fund (TAF2+) and is implemented by the International Institute for Sustainable Development, in consortium with CUTS International, Geneva and BKP Economic Advisors.
Views expressed in the publication are the authors’ own and do not necessarily reflect HM Government’s official positions or those of TAF2+.
You might also be interested in
The Joint Initiative on Investment Facilitation: Developments from 2020 and the road ahead to MC12
This brief provides an update on the structured discussions on investment facilitation among a WTO member group from early 2020 through February 2021.
The State of Play for Sustainable Development in the Joint Statement Initiative on Investment Facilitation for Development
This paper examines the ways in which negotiations under the JSI on Investment Facilitation for Development consider sustainable development aspects.
Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Key developments and update in the Informal Working Group discussions among World Trade Organization members
This report provides an update on the Informal Working Group on MSMEs' work for June–December 2020, including COVID-19's impact on MSMEs, especially those led or owned by women.
Addressing the Digital Divide in the Joint Statement Initiative on E-Commerce
This paper examines the evolution of the "digital divide" concept, especially given the ongoing negotiations among a group of WTO members for new, binding e-commerce rules.