Global Services Network Alert
May 12, 2004

Poll Results from the Institute for International Business, Economics and Law, University of Adelaide. In its latest poll of trade policy experts, the Institute for International Business, Economics and Law at the University of Adelaide reports a dramatic turn around in attitudes toward progress in WTO agriculture negotiations. In the last poll, conducted in February, only 16% of respondents felt a framework agreement could be agreed for agriculture by mid-2004. The current poll shows a plurality of 40% of survey participants believe an agreement will be reached by July, another 28%, give agreement a fifty-fifty chance, and 30% doubt that an agreement will be possible in that timeframe.

The poll showed no consensus on the reasons for the failure of many WTO members to table services offers, or the relatively poor quality of many of the offers that have been submitted. 38% of respondents attribute the current situation to factors external to the GATS, 28% say the reasons are internal to the services negotiations, and the remaining 34% are undecided.

In some of the other results, 83% of those surveyed believe negotiations can be launched soon on trade facilitation measures, and 81% feel negotiators are near agreement on a framework for industrial tariffs.

The poll included more than 100 negotiators, policy-makers and experts located in Geneva and key capital cities around the world. The Institute’s next poll will be conducted at the beginning of July. For more information, please contact Andrew L. Stoler, Executive Director, IIBE&L, at andrew.stoler@adelaide.edu.au

EU Commissioners Letter to WTO Members. On May 10, EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy and Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler sent a letter to their WTO counterparts, in which they indicate that the EU is prepared to negotiate the elimination of all export subsidies provided that “full parallelism” is achieved on other forms of export competition. The letter also notes that services negotiations are lagging behind, despite the potential growth of this sector for both developed and developing countries, and that “It will be inconceivable to conclude the DDA without a significant level of new and substantial commitments on services.” The letter is available at http://trade-info.cec.eu.int/doclib/html/117097.htm.

Dr. Supachai Underlines Importance of Doha Progress for LDCs. In a May 4 address to an LDC trade ministers meeting in Senegal, WTO Director-General Supachai Panitchpakdi stressed that “now is the time for all WTO members to show realism, flexibility and a determination to make progress” in the negotiations. He warned that “a loss of momentum will have a direct impact on the areas in which LDCs have a key interest.” Dr. Supachai’s speech is available at http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/spsp_e/spsp26_e.htm.

Japan-Singapore Agreement. The WTO Committee on Regional Trade Agreements has made available the questions and replies regarding the Agreement between Japan and Singapore for a New-Age Economic Partnership. The document includes a discussion of the services component of the agreement, and is available at http://docsonline.wto.org:80/DDFDocuments/t/WT/REG/140-5.doc.

Korea – Chile FTA. The WTO Committee on Regional Trade Agreements has made the text of the Free Trade Agreement between the Republic of Korea and Chile available. The text can be downloaded at http://docsonline.wto.org:80/DDFDocuments/t/WT/REG/169-1.doc.

GC Chairman Urges “Tangible Outcome” in July. During an April 29 informal of meeting of heads of delegations, WTO General Council Chairman Ambassador Shotaro Oshima urged members to deliver concrete results by July to “ensure the continued progress in the negotiations.” His remarks are available at: http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news04_e/gc_chair_stat_29apr04_e.htm.

USITC Releases Report on Global Barriers in Express Delivery. The US International Trade Commission recently released a report entitled "Express Delivery Services: Competitive Conditions Facing US-based Firms in Foreign Markets, (Investigation 332-456)." The report examines the composition of this global industry, factors driving change, regulatory reform, and the extent to which competition among express delivery suppliers is affected by government sanctioned monopolies. The text of the report is available at http://www.usitc.gov/wais/reports/arc/w3678.htm.