Services

Los servicios se han convertido en la fuerza impulsora que está configurando el panorama económico de los países en todos los niveles de desarrollo. Representan la mayor proporción de la actividad económica mundial al generar más de dos tercios del PIB, emplean a la mayoría de los trabajadores y son la fuente más grande de creación de empleo, especialmente para las mujeres y los jóvenes. Al mismo tiempo, el comercio de servicios se ha convertido en un elemento clave de las estrategias de crecimiento al transformarse en el componente más dinámico del comercio mundial en los últimos tiempos y al crear puestos de trabajo de mayor valor añadido.

Services have become the most dynamic and dominant force shaping global economic patterns in the 21st century.

This publication is the result of a joint effort by the WTO and the World Bank Group.

Services are central to growth, productivity, employment and economic diversification, and constitute the largest and most dynamic sector of many economies.

This publication is the result of a joint effort by the WTO and the World Bank Group.

Services have become the most dynamic and dominant force shaping global economic patterns in the 21st century. Today, services account for over two-thirds of global GDP and more than half of global employment, and are the primary source of value added in most economies.

Services are central to growth, productivity, employment and economic diversification, and constitute the largest and most dynamic sector of many economies. They play an indispensable role across value chains and are a major source of export earnings. The ability to trade services – digitally across borders, via commercial presence in other economies or through the movement of people – is a core driver of competitiveness and growth.

Le 30 septembre 2015, l’OMC a publié un rapport de groupe spécial sur le différend “Argentine — Mesures concernant le commerce des marchandises et des services” (DS453)

Le 16 juillet 2012, l’OMC a publié le rapport du Groupe spécial chargé d’examiner l’affaire “Chine — Certaines mesures affectant les services de paiement électronique” (WT/DS413/R).

El 30 de septiembre de 2015, la OMC hizo público el informe del Grupo especial sobre el caso “Argentina - Medidas relativas al comercio de mercancías y servicios”.

El 12 de agosto de 2009, la OMC hizo público el informe del Grupo especial sobre el caso “China - Medidas que afectan a los derechos comerciales y los servicios de distribución respecto determinadas publicaciones y productos audiovisuales de esparcimiento”.

Le 02 avril 2004, l’OMC a publié le rapport du Groupe spécial dans l’affaire “Mexique - Mesures visant les services de télécommunication”.

On 12 December 2012, Panama requested consultations with Argentina with respect to certain measures imposed by Argentina that affect trade in goods and services. Panama alleges that various Argentine measures are applied exclusively in respect of certain countries listed in the Regulations to the Income/Profit Tax Law, Decree 1344/98, as amended by Decree 1037/00. Panama claims that the measures are inconsistent with: - Articles II:1, XI, XVI and footnote 8, and XVII of the GATS; and - Articles I:1, III:2, III:4 and XI:1 of the GATT 1994. On 21 December 2012, the European Union requested to join the consultations. On 28 December 2012, the United States requested to join the consultations.

On 21 March 2003, Antigua and Barbuda requested consultations with the US regarding measures applied by central, regional and local authorities in the US which affect the cross-border supply of gambling and betting services. Antigua and Barbuda considered that the cumulative impact of the US measures is to prevent the supply of gambling and betting services from another WTO Member to the United States on a cross-border basis. According to Antigua and Barbuda, the measures at issue may be inconsistent with the US obligations under the GATS, and in particular Articles II, VI, VIII, XI, XVI and XVII thereof, and the US Schedule of Specific Commitments annexed to the GATS.

Le 12 août 2009, l’OMC a publié le rapport du Groupe spécial qui avait examiné la plainte des États-Unis dans l’affaire “Chine — Mesures affectant les droits de commercialisation et les services de distribution pour certaines publications et certains produits de divertissement audiovisuels” (DS363).

El 26 de noviembre de 2004, la OMC hizo público el informe del Grupo especial sobre el caso “República Dominicana - Medidas que afectan a la importación y venta interna de cigarrillos”.

On 10 April 2007, the United States requested consultations with China concerning: (1) certain measures that restrict trading rights with respect to imported films for theatrical release, audiovisual home entertainment products (e.g. video cassettes and DVDs), sound recordings and publications (e.g. books, magazines, newspapers and electronic publications); and (2) certain measures that restrict market access for, or discriminate against, foreign suppliers of distribution services for publications and foreign suppliers of audiovisual services (including distribution services) for audiovisual home entertainment products.

On 15 September 2010, the United States requested consultations with China with respect to “certain restrictions and requirements maintained by China pertaining to electronic payment services for payment card transactions and the suppliers of those services”.

El 02 de abril de 2004, la OMC hizo público el informe del Grupo especial sobre el caso “México - Medidas que afectan a los servicios de telecomunicaciones”.

This paper analyses the results of the financial services negotiations under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) at the World Trade Organization (WTO). It shows that the negotiations have contributed to more stable and transparent policy regimes in many developing and transition countries. The wide range of market access and non-discrimination commitments should advance the process of progressive liberalization. The commitments do not compromise the ability of countries to pursue sound macroeconomic and regulatory policies. However, other aspects of the outcome do raise some concerns. First, there has been less emphasis on the introduction of competition through allowing new entry than on allowing (or maintaining) foreign equity participation and protecting the position of incumbents. Secondly, even where immediate introduction of competition was not deemed feasible, not much advantage has been taken of the GATS to lend credibility to liberalization programmes by precommitting to future market access.

The concept of "like services and service suppliers" used in the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) is still very much uncharted territory. The few dispute cases involving national treatment and most-favoured-nation treatment claims under the GATS are vague concerning the criteria which should be used to establish "likeness". Discussions among WTO Members on this subject have remained limited and inconclusive. Perhaps the only point on which everybody agrees is that a determination of "likeness" under the GATS gives rise to a wider range of questions – and uncertainties – than under the GATT. The intangibility of services, the difficulty to draw a line between product and production, the existence of four modes of supply, the combined reference to like services and like service suppliers, and the lack of a detailed nomenclature are some of the factors which complicate the task of establishing "likeness" in services trade. This contribution focuses on the concept of “likeness” in the context of the national treatment obligation (Article XVII of the GATS). It discusses the possible implications of the combined reference to “like services and service suppliers”, as well as the relevance and role of the modes of supply in determining “likeness”. It also examines whether the criteria developed by GATT case-law (physical properties, classification, end-use and consumer tastes) can be mechanically transposed to services trade and how far they may contribute to establishing “likeness” under the GATS. It then discusses whether other parameters, such as the regulatory context or an “aim and effect” type approach could be relevant.

This paper estimates the impact of liberalization of temporary movements of individual service suppliers on trade in goods and services. In particular, the paper looks at the impact of the so-called forth mode to provide a service on trade in services under the other three modes: cross-border service supply (Mode 1), consumption abroad (Mode 2) and commercial presence abroad (Mode 3). Estimates are obtained using a gravity model of trade augmented for a measure of temporary movements of service suppliers. Estimates of the size of a country’s Mode 4 trade in services are based on specific information regarding the number of temporary foreign workers occupied in the service sector and their estimated average earnings, thus overcoming the limitations of traditional measures of Mode 4 based on remittances or compensation for employees. We find a positive and significant effect of temporary movements of service providers on merchandise trade and services trade under Mode 1 and 3. No significant relationship is found between services trade under Mode 2 and Mode 4.