May 26, 2006 IN THIS ALERT: USTR-Designate Discusses Services in Confirmation Hearing OECD Ministers Pledge to Focus on Doha Round Lamy Calls for Greater Determination and Engagement in Trade Talks US and EU Business Leaders Warn the Protectionism Threatens Transatlantic Trade WTO Compiles Case Studies on Managing the Challenges of WTO Participation USTR-Designate Discusses Services in Confirmation Hearing Services issues were discussed extensively at the May 16 U.S. Senate Finance Committee hearing for Ambassador Susan Schwab’s confirmation as the next United States Trade Representative. Several Senators questioned Ambassador Schwab about the progress of the Doha Round services negotiations, the mode 4 issue, China’s financial services commitments, and other related issues. For a copy of the written questions and answers submitted for the record, click here.     OECD Ministers Pledge To Focus on Doha Round In a joint statement issued at the close of their May 22-23 meeting, trade ministers from the OECD countries said that a successful conclusion to the Doha Round would provide a major boost for the world economy, and for developing nations in particular, and would enhance the credibility of the multilateral trading system.  “Time is running out and deadlines must not be postponed further,” the statement said, noting that ministers pledged to seek solutions which would address, in a balanced way, all Doha Round negotiation issues.  For a copy of the statement, click here.      Lamy Calls for Greater Determination and Engagement in Trade Talks   On May 15, WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy presented a report to the WTO General Council, as Chair of the Trade Negotiations Committee, in which he urged trade negotiators to find their “second wind” because “the stakes are too high” for the Doha Round to fail.  Lamy remarked that it is still possible to achieve modalities, but cited the need for greater determination and called for WTO members to increase their engagement in bridging gaps and finding consensus in order to push the talks forward.  Click here for his report. US and EU Business Leaders Warn that Protectionism Threatens Transatlantic Trade  On May 3, the CEOs of 30 leading U.S. and European companies expressed their concern that misguided protectionist actions on both sides of the Atlantic jeopardize economic growth, employment, and innovation.  The CEOs are members of the Trans-Atlantic Business Dialogue (TABD).  Their report, Towards a Barrier-Free Transatlantic Market:  Report and Recommendations to the 2006 EU-U.S. Summit Leaders, included policy recommendations for improving regulatory cooperation, maximizing security while facilitating global commerce, strengthening intellectual property rights, and liberalizing transatlantic capital markets.  They also reiterated their support for completion of the Doha Round and cited the need for increased U.S. and EU leadership.  Click here to read their report. WTO Compiles Case Studies on Managing the Challenges of WTO Participation The WTO has compiled forty-five case studies that document how governments, business, and civil society manage the challenges of their country's participation in the WTO.  The compilation demonstrates how the responsibility for success or failure in the trading system is not determined by the WTO as much as it is "homegrown."  The success stories are those in which the member economy effectively coordinated among government agencies and between the government and private sectors.  Some of the services topics covered include services commitments from Belize and Costa Rica, the strategies and challenges Uruguay has faced in the services negotiations, telecommunications liberalization in Barbados, and the preparation by Vietnam's banking sector for WTO accession. Click here to read the case studies.