OAS Trade Section STUDIES *
Analyses on trade and integration in the Americas

Approaches to Services Liberalization by Developing Countries

Sherry M. Stephenson *

A Publication of the Organization of American States Trade Section
February 1999

Table of Contents

Abstract

1. Recent interest in services liberalization by developing countries

2. Characteristics of services transactions

3. Contribution of services to economic development

4. Growth of service markets

1. Opportunities for services exports by developing countries

2. Importance of services in output and trade of developing regions

5. Importance of services liberalization for developing countries

   1. Cost of restrictions on services trade and investment

   2. Potential gains from liberalization of service transactions

6. The challenges of liberalizing trade in services

7.  Services liberalization at the multilateral level

   1.  Scheduling commitments under the GATS

   2.  Limited liberalization by developing countries under GATS

8.  Services liberalization at the sub-regional level

   1.  Services liberalization in the Western Hemisphere

   2.  Services Liberalization in Asia: ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services

9.  Comparing approaches to liberalization of services at the sub-regional level

   1. Principles on trade in services

   2. Provisions and disciplines 33

   3. Market access

   4. Negotiating modality

   5. Exclusions

10.  Relationship of regional liberalization on services to multilateral disciplines

11.  Services liberalization within the Western Hemisphere and the Asia Pacific

1. The FTAA process

2. FTAA work on services

3. The APEC process

4. APEC work on services

12.  Prospects for future progress on services liberalization

Appendices

Bibliography

* OAS Trade Unit Studies

The OAS Trade Section Studies series addresses issues of importance to trade and economic integration in the Western Hemisphere. The reports are prepared by the Trade Section staff and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the OAS Member States. 

Secretary General
César Gaviria

Assistant Secretary General
Christopher R. Thomas

Executive Secretary for Integral Development
Leonel Zúñiga

First Edition, February 1999

OEA/Ser.D/XXII
SG/TU/TUS-7

ISBN: 0-8270-3991-3

ã 1999 Organization of American States, General Secretariat. All rights reserved. This publication or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any way without the permission of the General Secretariat of the OAS. The ideas, thoughts and opinions contained herein are not necessarily those of the OAS or of its Member States. All inquiries regarding
this publication should be directed to: Organization of American States, Trade Section, 1889 F Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20006, U.S.A. Electronic Mail: trade@sice.oas.org.

* Sherry M. Stephenson is Principal Trade Specialist with the Trade Section of the Organization of American States (OAS), where she is responsible for assisting the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) Negotiating Process in the area of Services and Electronic Commerce.