Global Services Network Alert
September 16, 2004

GSN Members' Input Sought for New Poll on China's WTO Implementation Progress
The University of Adelaide's Institute for International Business, Economics and Law, and the Shanghai WTO Affairs Consultation Centre, have proposed a collaborative project to poll government and business representatives around the world on key issues surrounding China's implementation of its WTO commitments.

Interested Global Services Network members are encouraged to participate in the poll, which will be an important survey of Chinaís trade policy. The format of the questionnaire and the resulting publication of poll results will be modeled on the format used by the Institute's Global Trade Opinion Polls, a sample of which is attached to this message for your reference.

If you follow Chinaís WTO implementation or Chinese trade policy generally and wish to participate in this survey, please contact Andrew Stoler, Executive Director of the Institute, at andrew.stoler@adelaide.edu.au. More information is available on the Institute's website at http://www.iibel.adelaide.edu.au. The poll will be conducted in late September/early October. Any information that participants provide will remain confidential, and will be used solely for the purpose of the poll. The results of the polling are published only in aggregated form.

WTO Releases Annual World Trade Report

On September 16, 2004, the WTO released its annual World Trade Report. The Report includes an overview of recent trade and trade policy developments and covers, among other topics, non-reciprocal preferences and the multilateral trading system, the liberalization of services trade through the temporary movement of labor, and the role of infrastructure in trade and economic development, with a particular focus on transport, telecommunications, finance and business services. The report can be downloaded from the WTO website at http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/pres04_e/pr385_e.htm.

ITC Launches Investigation on Logistics Services Markets, Releases Study on CAFTA

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is seeking input for a newly initiated investigation into foreign markets for logistic services. The investigation, which was requested by the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) will seek to provide an overview of the global logistic services market, including major industry players, factors driving growth, and industry operations. The report is expected to be submitted to USTR by May of next year. For a copy of the ITC statement announcing the study, click here: http://www.usitc.gov/er/nl2004/er0827bb1.htm.

The ITC also recently released a study on the expected impact of the US-Central American Free Trade Agreement. The study found that the agreement is expected to produce important gains in U.S. exports,economic welfare, and market access. To download the study, click here: ftp://ftp.usitc.gov/pub/reports/studies/pub3717.pdf.