Trade in Services. 1. The Parties shall aim at gradually liberalising and opening their markets for trade in services in accordance with the provisions of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (hereinafter referred to as the “GATS”), taking into account ongoing work under the auspices of the WTO.
2. If a Party grants to a non-Party, after the entry into force of this Agreement, additional benefits with regard to the access to its services markets, it shall agree to enter into negotiations with a view to extending these benefits to another Party on a reciprocal basis.
3. The Parties undertake to keep under review paragraphs 1 and 2 with a view to establishing an agreement liberalising trade in services between them in accordance with Article V of the GATS.
Trade in Services. The Parties shall aim at achieving gradual liberalization and the opening of their markets for trade in services in accordance with the provisions of the WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), taking into account ongoing work under the auspices of the WTO.
Trade in Services. 1. The Parties shall progressively liberalise trade in services among the Parties with substantial sectoral coverage in conformity with Article V of GATS.
2. For this purpose, the Parties shall enter into negotiations on the progressive liberalisation of trade in services. Such liberalisation shall be directed to:
(a) provision for the absence or elimination of substantially all discrimination among the Parties only in the sectors covered under paragraph 1, through:
(i) elimination of existing discriminatory measures; and/or
(ii) prohibition of new or more discriminatory measures with respect to trade in services among the Parties, either at the entry into force of the agreement referred to in paragraph 3 or on the basis of an agreed time-frame, except for measures permitted under Articles XI, XII, XIV, XIVbis of GATS;
(b) expansion in the depth and scope of liberalisation of trade in services beyond those undertaken by the Parties under GATS; and
(c) enhanced cooperation in services among the Parties in order to improve efficiency and competitiveness, as well as to diversify the supply and distribution of services of the respective service suppliers of the Parties.
3. The Parties shall begin negotiations on an agreement on trade in services at the beginning of 2006 with a goal of concluding the negotiations not later than 31 December 2006.
Trade in Services. In order to achieve the objective laid down in Article 4, the Joint Council shall decide on the appropriate arrangements for a progressive and reciprocal liberalisation of trade in services, in accordance with the relevant WTO rules, in particular, Article V of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), and taking due account of the commitments already undertaken by the Parties within the framework of that Agreement.
Trade in Services. (a) The Parties recognise the growing importance of trade in services for the development of their economies and reaffirm their respective rights and obligations under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS).
(b) No later than 31 December 2008, the Parties will complete negotiations on services liberalisation on the basis of the following:
i) liberalisation schedule for one service sector for each participating SADC EPA State;
ii) commitment to a standstill as specified in Article V(1)(b)(ii) GATS, for all services sectors; and
iii) agreement to negotiate progressive liberalisation with substantial sectoral coverage within a period of three years following the conclusion of the full EPA.
Trade in Services. 1. The Parties may negotiate trade in services to extend the scope of this Agreement. In this regard, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique and Swaziland (“Participating SADC EPA States”) on the one hand, and the EU on the other hand, have started and will continue to negotiate trade in services.
2. The negotiations between the EU and the Participating SADC EPA States shall be guided by the following principles:
(a) negotiations shall cover definitions and principles for the liberalisation of trade in services;
(b) negotiations shall cover lists of commitments, setting out the conditions applicable to the liberalisation of trade in services. Such conditions shall be listed per sector liberalised and include, where necessary, limitations on market access and national treatment as well as transition periods for liberalisation;
(c) negotiations shall also address regulatory provisions supporting the liberalisation of trade in services;
(d) liberalisation of trade in services shall meet the requirements of Article V of the GATS;
(e) liberalisation of trade in services shall be reciprocal and asymmetric, taking into account the development needs of the Participating SADC EPA States. This may also result in the inclusion of provisions on cooperation and on special and differential treatment;
(f) negotiations shall build on the relevant provisions in existing applicable legal frameworks.
3. The EU and the Participating SADC EPA States agree to cooperate on strengthening the regulatory frameworks of the Participating SADC EPA States as well as to support the implementation of the commitments resulting from the negotiations in accordance with Article 13(5). The Parties recognise that in accordance with Article 13(8) trade capacity building can support the development of economic activities.
4. If a Party that is not party to an agreement on trade in services negotiated in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2 wishes to join, it may negotiate the terms of its entry to that agreement.
5. If any agreement emanating from negotiations envisaged in paragraphs 1 and 4 were to result in outcomes that prove to be incompatible with the future development of a SADC regional services framework, the Parties shall negotiate to bring this Agreement in line with such regional framework while ensuring a balance of benefits.
Trade in Services. With a view to expediting the expansion of trade in services, the Parties agree to enter into negotiations to progressively liberalise trade in services on a preferential basis with substantial sectoral coverage. Such negotiations shall be directed to:
a. progressive elimination of substantially all discrimination between or among the Parties and/or prohibition of new or more discriminatory measures with respect to trade in services between the Parties, except for measures permitted under Article V(1)(b) of the WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS);
b. expansion in the depth and scope of liberalisation of trade in services beyond those undertaken by ASEAN Member States and India under the GATS; and
c. enhanced cooperation in services between the Parties in order to improve efficiency and competitiveness, as well as to diversify the supply and distribution of services of the respective service suppliers of the Parties.
Trade in Services. 1. The Parties and Signatory Parties shall aim at achieving gradual liberalization and the opening of their markets for trade in services in accordance with the provisions of the WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services (hereinafter referred to as “GATS”).
2. In their efforts to gradually deepen and broaden their economic relations, the Parties will consider, in the Joint Committee, the possible modalities for opening negotiations on market access on trade in services, on the basis of the GATS framework.
Trade in Services. 1. The Parties agree that trade in services is a powerful engine for the growth and development of their economies and further reaffirm their respective rights and obligations under the WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS).
2. The Parties commit to cooperating in and enhancing trade in services, especially in modes of supply of export interest to them, including the movement of natural persons for business purposes, and in sectors that they consider as priorities, including the ICT sector, tourism, transport, environmental services, financial services, and sporting services and other priority sectors as appropriate.
3. The Parties, taking into consideration Article 39(2), shall cooperate to strengthen capacity in the supply of services related to cultural and creative industries.
4. The Parties shall cooperate to address barriers to trade in services with a view to facilitating access to markets and enhancing trade. They further agree to strengthen their cooperation to support the development of domestic regulatory frameworks and capacities, improve the ability of service providers to comply with the EU Party and OACPS Members' regulations and standards at continental, regional, national, and sub-national levels, and encourage the establishment of mutual recognition agreements, where appropriate, in the service sectors of mutual interest referred to in paragraph 2.
5. The Parties acknowledge the importance of cost-effective and efficient maritime transport services as the main mode of transportation facilitating trade. The Parties shall improve the competitiveness of maritime transport services by strengthening connectivity to improve the safe flow of goods and people in the maritime transport sector. To that end, they shall cooperate in the appropriate forums to liberalise maritime transport as the main mode of transportation to facilitate trade. They shall enable access to the international maritime transport markets and to ports and services at the ports, on a non-discriminatory and commercial basis. The Parties shall cooperate in eff orts to develop and promote cost-eff ective and efficient maritime transport services in the OACPS Members with a view to increasing the participation of OACPS Members' operators in international shipping services.
Trade in Services. 1. The Parties shall aim at achieving gradual liberalisation and the opening of their markets for trade in services in accordance with the provisions of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (hereinafter referred to as “the GATS”), taking into account ongoing work under the auspices of the WTO.
2. If a Party grants to a non-Party, after the entry into force of this Agreement, additional benefits with regard to the access to its services markets, it shall afford adequate opportunities for negotiations with a view to extending these benefits to another Party on a reciprocal basis.
3. The Parties undertake to keep under review paragraphs 1 and 2 with a view to establishing an agreement liberalising trade in services between them in accordance with Article V of the GATS.
