./.RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONS/WPDR/W/26
12 November 2003
(03-6049)
Working Party on Domestic Regulation
- DRAFT -
ANNUAL REPORT1 OF THE WORKING PARTY ON DOMESTIC REGULATION
TO THE COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN SERVICES (2003)
1. Since the update (S/WPDR/5) to the annual report of 2002 to the Council for Trade in
Services, the Working Party on Domestic Regulation (WPDR) held two formal meetings 1 July and
30 September 2003, both chaired by Mr. Johannes Bernabe of the Philippines.  The Minutes of the
formal meetings are found in WTO documents S/WPDR/M/22 and M/23 (forthcoming).  The next
formal meeting is scheduled for 3 December 2003.
2. Formal and informal papers have been submitted to the Working Party.  The formal papers
were circulated by the Secretariat and the European Community and its Member States.2  I nform al
papers were submitted India3 and the Secretariat.4
I. UPDATE TO THE ANNUAL REPORT OF 2002
3. The first item on the agenda of the 1 July formal meeting was the update to the annual report
of 2002 of the WPDR to the Council for Trade in  Services, circulated as S/WPDR/W/24, dated
20 June 2003.  Following comments by several delegations, Members adopted the report, with some
amendments.
II. DEVELOPMENT OF REGULATORY DISCIPLINES UNDER GATS ARTICLE VI:4
4. With respect to the development of any necessary disciplines on domestic regulation, the
Working Party further examined Japan's informal paper, Draft Annex on Domestic Regulation  (the
revised version of which was circulated as JOB/(03) /45/Rev.1, dated 2 May),  as well as a paper from
the European Community and its Member States, Proposal for Disciplines on Licensing Procedures
(circulated as S/WPDR/W/25, dated 10  July 2003).
5. Members also further reviewed the measures, including the additional examples provided by
delegations, in the informal Secretariat paper Examples of Measures to be Addressed by Disciplines
under GATS Article VI:4  (the latest version is JOB(02)/20/Rev.7, dated 22 September 2003).
6. The Working Party also extensively discussed an informal paper by Singapore, GATS
Article VI:5 and its relation to the future Article VI:4 Disciplines  (JOB(03)/113, dated 11 June 2003).
7. No conclusions have yet been reached on any of the issues raised.
                                                     
1 This report, together with the update in document S/WPDR/5, complete the reporting requirement
for 2003.
2 S/WPDR/W/24, dated 20  June 2003, and S/WPDR/W/25, dated 10  July 2003, respectively.
3 JOB(03)/192, dated 30 September 2003.
4 JOB(02)/3/Rev.6, 24.06.03;  JOB(02)/20/Rev.6, 24.06.03;  JOB(03)/126, 25.06.03;  JOB(03)/35/
Rev.2, 1.07.03;  JOB(02)/20/Rev.7, 22.09.03;  JOB(03 )/126/Rev.1, 22.09.03;  JOB(02)/3/Rev.7, 23.09.03.S/WPDR/W/26
Page 2
III. DEVELOPMENT OF DISCIPLINES FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
8. Members commented on the Secretariat compilation of the results of the consultations with
international professional organizations, concerning the potential suitability of the Disciplines on
Domestic Regulation in the Accountancy Sector  (S/L/64, dated 17 December 1998) for other
professions.  The most recent version was circulated as JOB(03)/126/Rev.1, dated
22 September 2003.
9. Members also made extensive comments at the 1 July and 30 September formal meetings on
an informal paper submitted by India on recognition issues, which was subsequently circulated as
JOB(03)/192, dated 30 September 2003.  The suggest ion by New Zealand that delegations give
presentations on their domestic recognition procedures under GATS Article VI:6 was well received
by Members.
10. No further comments were made on the informal Secretariat paper Synthesis of Results to
Date of the Domestic Consultations in Professional Services  (the most recent version is
JOB(02)/204/Rev.1, dated 21 February 2003).
IV. ORGANIZATION OF THE WPDR WORKSHOP ON DOMESTIC REGULATION
11. At the formal WPDR meeting on 1 July, Members approved the revised Outline for the
workshop, circulated as JOB(03)/35/Rev.1, dated 7 May 2003, and agreed on a date of6-7 October 2003, which was subsequently revised to 8-9 December to provide further time for efforts
to obtain funding.  At the 30 September 2003 formal meeting, Members stated they were pleased that
the Secretariat had succeeded in obtaining some funding for developing-country participants.  Due to
the lack of hotel availability, however, the workshop needed to be postponed until a later services
cluster.
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