RESTRICTED   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  S/C/W/244 
11 November 2004 
 (04-4815) 
  
Council for Trade in Services  
 
 
 
- DRAFT – 
 
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN SERVICES  
TO THE GENERAL COUNCIL (2004) 
 
 
1. Since its last report to the General Council, th e Council for Trade in Services has held six 
formal meetings on 5 December 2003, 1 March 2004,  15 March 2004, 25 March 2004, 24 June 2004 
and 23 September 20041.  During this period, the Council addressed the following matters: 
I. PROPOSALS FOR A TECHNICAL REVIEW OF GATS PROVISIONS  
- ARTICLE XX:2 
2. At its meeting on 25 March 2004, the Council considered the report (S/C/W/237) by the 
Chairman of the Committee on Specific Commitm ents (CSC), which summarized the technical 
discussions held in the CSC on issues arising from the scheduling of commitments in accordance with 
Article XX:2.  At its meeting on 24 June 2004, it was agreed that the Council would revert to this item 
upon a specific request. 
II. REQUEST FOR A WAIVER FROM SPECIFIC COMMITMENTS UNDER THE 
GATS PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPHS 3 AND 4 OF ARTICLE IX OF THE MARRAKESH AGREEMENT ESTABL ISHING THE WORLD TRADE 
ORGANIZATION 
3. At its meetings held on 5 December 2003 and 1 March 2004, the Council examined Albania's 
waiver request (S/L/148 and S/L/148/Rev.1) regard ing the postponement of the implementation of its 
GATS commitments in international public voice se rvices.  At its meeting on 1 March 2004, the 
Council approved Albania's waiver request and adopted the report (S /C/21) to the General Council. 
The draft decision, attached to the report, was fo rwarded to the General Council for adoption. The 
General Council adopted the decision on 17 May 2004 , which was issued in document WT/L/567.   
III. TRANSITIONAL REVIEW UNDER SECTION 18 OF THE PROTOCOL ON THE 
ACCESSION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA 
4. At its meeting held on 5 December 2003, the Council conducted and concluded the second 
transitional review of the implementation by Chin a of its WTO commitments, pursuant to section 18 
of the Protocol on the Accession of the People's Republic of China (WT/L/432). The Council took 
note of the report (S/FIN/11) of the Committee on Trad e in Financial Services, which formed part of 
the Council's report on this matter to the Gene ral Council, contained in document S/C/20.  
                                                     
 
1  Reports of the meetings are contained in documents S/C/M/69, S/C/M/70, S/C/M/71,  
S/C/M/72, S/C/M/73 and S/C/M/74.  These should be read in conjunction with this report.   
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 IV. NEGOTIATIONS ON EMERGENCY SAFEGUARD MEASURES UNDER ARTICLE 
X OF THE GATS – DEADLINE FOR THE NEGOTIATIONS 
5. At its meeting on 15 March 2004, the Council considered the communication (S/C/W/236) 
from the Chairman of the Working Party on GATS Ru les, which proposed to extend the deadline of 
the negotiations on emergency safe guard measures under Article X.  The Council adopted the Fifth 
Decision on Negotiations on Emergency Safeguard Measures (S/L/159), which extended negotiations 
on this matter.  The Decision stipulates that the result s of these negotiations shall enter into force on a 
date not later than the date of entry into fo rce of the current round of services negotiations.  
V. IMPLEMENTATION OF ARTICLE VII OF GATS 
6. At its meetings on 5 December 2003, 25 March 2004, 24 June 2004 and 23 September 2004, 
the Council continued to discuss issues relating to  the implementation of Article VII of the GATS 
based on a submission from India (JOB (03)/120).  The Council has agreed to revert to this item at its 
following meeting. 
VI. REVIEW OF MFN EXEMPTIONS 
7. At its meeting on 24 June 2004, the Council a ddressed the second review of MFN exemptions 
in accordance with the decision adopted at the conclu sion of the previous review.  At its meeting on 
23 September 2004, the Council agreed that the s econd review would be conducted in dedicated 
sessions, the first of which would be held on 30 November 2004. 
VII. DERESTRICTION OF DOCUMENTS 
8. At its meeting on 23 September 2004, the Coun cil held discussions in informal mode 
regarding the European Communities' request for th e continued restriction of parts of the report 
(S/C/M/73) of the Council's meeting of 24 June 2004. The Council agreed to revert to this item at its 
following meeting. 
VIII.  NOTIFICATIONS MADE TO THE COUNCIL PURSUANT TO GATS 
ARTICLES III:3, V:5, V:7 AND VII:4. 
9. At  its meetings held on 5 December 2003, 25 March 2004, and 24 June 2004, the Council 
took note of the following notifications: 
(a) Notifications pursuant to Article III:3 of the GATS: 
  Japan      (S/C/N/234) 
  Bolivia      (S/C/N/235-236)   Armenia     (S/C/N/237)   China      (S/C/N/238-261) 
  Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia   
    (S/C/N/266-270 & S/C/N/266/Corr.1-270/Corr.1)   Switzerland     (S/C/N/271-296)   The Separate Customs Territory of    Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu  (S/C/N/300-301) 
 
(b) Notifications pursuant to Article V:5 of the GATS: 
The European Communities   (S/SECRET/8) 
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 (c) Notifications pursuant to Article V:7 of the GATS: 
  The United States and Chile   (S/C/N/262) 
  The Unites States and Singapore   (S/C/N/263)   China and Hong Kong, China   (S/C/N/264)   China and Macao, China   (S/C/N/265) 
  El Salvador and Chile    (S/C/N/299) 
  Korea and Chile    (S/C/N/302)   The European Communities   (S/C/N/303)  
(d) Notifications pursuant to Article VII:4 of the GATS: 
Australia     (S/C/N/297) 
Japan      (S/C/N/298)  
IX. WORK OF THE SUBSIDIARY BODIES 
10. The activities of the subsidiary bodies are refl ected in their respective reports, which are 
annexed to this report.  
 
 
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