. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONTN/S/W/11
3 March 2003
(03-1228)
Council for Trade in Services
Special SessionOriginal:  English
COMMUNICATION FROM AUSTRALIA, CANADA, CHILE, THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC
OF CHINA, CROATIA, CYPRUS, CZECH REPUBLIC, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC,
ESTONIA, THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES AND THEIR MEMBER STATES, GAMBIA,
GEORGIA, GUATEMALA, HONG KONG, CH INA, ICELAND, INDIA, JAPAN, THE
REPUBLIC OF KOREA, KYRGYZ REPUBLIC, LATVIA, LITHUANIA, MALAYSIA,
MALTA, MEXICO, NEW ZEALAND, NIGERIA, NORWAY, PAKISTAN, PANAMA,
PAPUA NEW GUINEA, PERU, POLAND, ROMANIA, SINGAPORE, SLOVENIA,
SWITZERLAND, AND THE SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY OF TAIWAN, PENGHU,
KINMEN AND MATSU
Joint Statement on the Negotiations on Maritime Transport Services
The following communication has been received from the delegations of Australia, Canada,
Chile, the People’s Republic of China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic,
Estonia, the European Communities and their member states, Gambia, Georgia, Guatemala, HongKong, China, Iceland, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Kyrgyz Republic, Latvia, Lithuania,
Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria,  Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Peru, Poland, Romania, Singapore, Slovenia, Sw itzerland, and the Separate Customs Territory of
Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu with the request that it be circulated to Members of the Council
for Trade in Services.
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1. We are encouraged by the commencement of the request-offer negotiations on trade in
services, including maritime transport services, in accordance with the Ministerial Declarationadopted at the 4th Ministerial Conference, held in Doha in November 2001.
2. Maritime transport is an important facilitator of world trade.  Four-fifths of world trade by
volume is carried by sea.  Seaborne trade is continuing to expand at some 9% for containerized
cargoes annually.  More than purely a facilitator, maritime transport is also a significant exportable
service in many countries, making direct contribut ions to their national GDP.  In view of its
importance, binding substantive liberalization of the maritime transport service sector is crucial to
ensuring the overall success of this current round of trade negotiations.
3. Access to a global network of reliable, efficient and cost-effective maritime transport services
is beneficial to all Members, including developing and least developed Members whose trade in price-
sensitive goods often comprises a significant component of their economies.  Restrictions on maritimetransport services can adversely affect a number of economic factors, including export and import
prices, and the location of foreign direct investment.  Liberalization is key to reducing maritimeTN/S/W/11
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transport costs, providing greater choices to shippers, and ensuring fast and efficient deliveries.
Liberalization in the sector will also encourage foreign investment, which will not only enhance
employment opportunities within the sector itself, but will also promote the growth of other related
service sectors.  The multiplier effect of the maritime transport service sector extends to ship
repair/maintenance, ship classification, distribution, professional services, communications, bankingand insurance services, etc.
4. We call for the active participation of all Members in the on-going negotiations with a view to
achieving meaningful liberalization of the maritime transport service sector, consistent with
sustainable development, security and safety, and thereby securing broad coverage of this sector in the
multilateral trading system and the GATS framework.
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