Xxxxxxx XX Xxxxx XX Xxxxxxxxx XX Xxxxxxxxxx XX Xxxxxx XX Xxxxx XX Xxx Xxxxxxxxxxx XX Xxxxxx XX Xxxxxxxx XX Sweden SI Xxxxxxxx XX Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx XX Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx On 28 May 2004 and on 4 April 2005, the EC submitted two respec- tive Communications pursuant to Article V of the GATS (circulated as document S/SECRET/8, dated 11 June 2004, and as document S/SECRET/9, dated 12 April 2005), whereby it notified its intention to modify or withdraw the specific commitments included in the list at- tached to the communications, pursuant to Article V:5 of the GATS and in accordance with the terms of Article XXI:1(b) of the GATS. Following the submission of each Communication, Ecuador submit- ted two respective claims of interest pursuant to Article XXI:2(a) of the GATS (S/L/172 with regard to S/SECRET/8 and S/L/229 with regard to S/SECRET/9). The EC and Ecuador entered into negotiations pursuant to Article XXI:2(a) of the GATS with regard to S/SECRET/8 and S/SECRET/9. With regard to the procedure initiated by the notification contained in document S/SECRET/8, the initial period for the negotiations, which expired on 26 October 2004, was extended (by mutual agreement) five times (until 26 April 2005, until 27 February 2006, until 1 June 2006, until 1 July and until 17 July 2006). During such negotiations, the EC and Ecuador have agreed on compensatory adjustments related to the withdrawals and modifications contained in document S/SECRET/8. With regard to the procedure initiated by the notification contained in document S/SECRET/9, no agreement between the EC and Ecuador was reached by the end of the period provided for negotiations and no affected Member referred the matter to arbitration within the applicable deadline pursuant to paragraph 7 of S/L/80. Pursuant to Article XXI: 3(b) of the GATS and subject to completion of the procedures set out in paragraphs 20-22 of S/L/80, the EC shall be free to implement the modi- fications and withdrawals proposed in document S/SECRET/9. The Report on the result of these negotiations, which is attached to this letter, includes (1) the proposed modifications in the notifications referred to above, (2) the agreed compensatory adjustments with regard to the modifications or withdrawals notified in S/SECRET/8, and (3) the draft consolidated schedule of specific commitments that results from merging existing schedules of commitments of the EC and its Member States and from inserting therein both the modifications or withdrawals of commitments notified by the EC under documents S/SECRET/8 and S/SECRET/9 and the compensatory adjustments agreed between the EC and Ecuador. This letter and Annex I and II of the report attached to it constitute the Agreement between the EC and Ecuador with regard to S/SECRET/8 for purposes of Article XXI:2(a) of the GATS.1) The Agreement shall not be interpreted to modify the Lists of Article II Exemptions of the EC and its Member States. The Agreement shall not be interpreted to affect the Parties’ rights and obligations under Article VIII of the GATS. Pursuant to the procedures referred to in paragraphs 20 to 22 of S/L/ 80, the EC will transmit, to the Secretariat for circulation, the draft con- solidated schedule for certification by 14 September 2006, provided that an agreement has been signed with all affected Members, or the period foreseen in paragraph 7 of S/L/80 has expired, and no arbitration has been requested. The results of the negotiations are to enter into force, after completion of the certification procedures, on a date to be specified by the EC following completion of the EC’s internal approval proce- dures, which the EC endeavours to accelerate as much as possible. The modifications and withdrawals proposed in documents S/SECRET/8 and S/SECRET/9 shall not enter into force until all of the compensatory adjustments indicated in Annex II have entered into force.
