./.RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONS/CSC/W/18
17 November 1998
(98-4615)
Committee on Specific Commitments
DRAFT
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON SPECIFIC COMMITMENTS
TO THE COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN SERVICES
1. The Committee on Specific Commitments has held three formal meetings in1998. In its first
formal  meeting held on 2 April 1998, it elected Mr Juan A. Marchetti of Argentina as its Chairman.
Informal consultations on the finalization of the procedures for the implementation of GATS
Article XXI (Modification of Schedules) have also been conducted by the Chairman of theCommittee, with a view to their completion before the end of 1998. The formal discussions of the
Committee focused on three items:  classification issues, the institution of a system of electronically
consolidated and updated schedules and the possible revision of the scheduling guidelines.
2. As far as classification issues are concerned the activities of the Committee were threefold.
First the Committee examined the structure of the ongoing revision of the Central Products
Classification, which is the nomenclature established by the UN Statistical Commission, in order to
appreciate its possible relevance for the Committee's future work.  The Secretariat produced detailedstructural and qualitative studies of the changes brought about by the revised CPC in a number of
service sectors: energy, construction, distribution, tourism, transport, research and development, real
estate, rental and leasing, business services, computer and related services, professional services other
business services, agricultural, mining and manufacturing services.  It also heard the views of the UN
Statistical  Division and the "Voorburg Group", the collective authors of this new classification.
3. On this basis the Committee concluded that a global conversion to this new classification
would be inappropriate at this stage but that the new classification could help to resolve the individual
problems of classification which may be identified by delegations in the future.  It was also agreed
that the question of "ad hoc" classifications, that is  of classifications collectively agreed which depart
from the CPC, as in financial services, basic telecommunications and maritime transport, should bekept on the agenda as another possible means of resolving problems of classification.
4. Secondly the Committee began discussion of the question of the definition and treatment of
new services.  There was broad agreement that this was more a question of classification than of
coverage and that a pragmatic approach, based on concrete elements identified during of the
Exchange of Information Programme of the Council, was needed.
5. Thirdly the Committee, in accordance with a mandate given by the Council for Trade in
Services, began the examination of the points on classification raised during the Exchange of
Information Programme, on the basis of a compilation of these points drawn up by the Secretariat and
of working documents submitted by delegations.S/CSC/W/18
Page 2
6. The Committee approved in principle the establishment of a system of electronically
consolidated and updated schedules of commitments.  It was agreed that these electronic schedules
would not have legal status, since their format would differ from the treaty copies, though their
substantive content would be the same. The Committee also considered the calendar, budget, format,
circulation, prices and verification procedure applicable to this project.  It agreed in particular that theoutcome of this work should be published and sold to the general public in a CD-Rom format and that
the elaboration of a CD-ROM version was a priority as compared to an online version.
7. The Committee also considered the possible need to review the scheduling guidelines and
examined several contributions by Members on this topic.  The Chairman invited delegations to come
forward with issues and questions they might wish to raise in this regard.
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