ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON SPECIFIC
COMMITMENTS
TO THE COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN SERVICES (2021)
1. Since its 2020 annual report to the Council for Trade in Services[1], the
Committee on Specific Commitments (CSC) held three formal meetings, on 2
December 2020, 10 March 2021 and 29 June 2021 respectively.[2] At
these meetings, the Committee considered three items: Implementation of Specific
Commitments, Classification Issues and Scheduling Issues.
1 implementation of specific commitments
2. This item was included in the agenda upon a Communication from the
United States dated 5 March 2020.[3] The
United States proposed that the Committee examine conditional commitments
contained in the Schedules of Specific Commitments under the GATS with a view
to improving transparency of commitments. The Committee agreed on a
step-by-step approach whereby the Secretariat would first prepare a factual
compilation of conditional commitments contained in Members' Schedules and the
Committee would then consider the next steps of the proposed exercise.
3. Accordingly, the Secretariat prepared and circulated the Compilation
of Conditional Commitments dated 13 November 2020, which was later revised upon
the request of the Committee.[4] The Compilation
encompasses those entries in the Schedules of Specific Commitments under the
GATS which make the entry into force, implementation, or updating of specific
commitments conditional upon a domestic process such as new legislation or
policy review. Information related to the implementation of conditional
commitments are also included in the Compilation, subject to the availability
of information. Members were invited to verify and complement such information.
4. Engagement in the exercise on conditional commitments was on a
voluntary basis. At the meetings during the reporting period, a number of
Members provided updates on the implementation of their commitments included in
the Compilation. Some Members indicated that they were holding internal
consultations and would provide updates at a later stage.
[1] Annual Report of the Committee on Specific Commitments to the
Council for Trade in Services (2020), contained in document S/CSC/26 dated 2
December 2020.
[2] The reports of these meetings are contained in documents S/CSC/M/84,
S/CSC/M/85 and S/CSC/M/86, which should be read in conjunction with this
report.
[3] The communication from the United States is contained in document
S/CSC/W/69.
[4] The Compilation of Conditional Commitments is contained in document
S/CSC/70 and S/CSC/70/Rev.1.