./.RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONS/CSS/W/2
14 April 2000
(00-1519)
Council for Trade in Services
Special SessionOriginal:  English
COMMUNICATION FROM MERCOSUR MEMBERS
(Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay)
Elements of a Proposed First Phase of the Services Negotiations
Mandated under GATS Article XIX
The following communication has been received from the MERCOSUR Members, the
delegations of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, with the request that it be circulated to the
Members of the Council for Trade in Services.
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On the basis of the paper submitted by Australia and Singapore for the proposed first phase of
the services negotiations, mandated under GATS  Article XIX, MERCOSUR Members (Argentina,
Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) would like to su ggest the adoption of the following programme and
arrangements.
1. Pursuant  to the objectives of the GATS,  as stipulated in the Preamble, in Article IV,  and in
the mandate contained in Article XIX, negotiatio ns on trade in services shall aim to achieve
progressively higher levels of liberalization of trade in services through the reduction or eliminationof the adverse effects of measures as a means of providing effective market access. The negotiations
shall take place with due respect for national policy objectives, and the appropriate flexibility for
individual developing country Members. In this process, the existing structure and principles of the
GATS shall be preserved and the regulatory framework of the GATS shall be completed.
2. Without prejudice to the future elaboration of negotiating guidelines and procedures as
required under Article XIX:3, the following programme and arrangements have been agreed for the
first phase of these mandated negotiations on services:
(a) that proposals would be submitted by Members by the end of December 2000, on the
understanding that there would be flexibility for the submission of further or more
detailed proposals thereafter,
(b) that proposals could address the following themes:
- Modalities of negotiations, including sectors to be negotiated
- Increasing participation of developing countries and in particular special
treatment for LDCsS/CSS/W/2
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- Autonomous liberalization
- Systemic issues
- Issues arising from the work carried out in the Council for Trade in Services
and its subsidiary bodies, particularly the work on GATS Rules and Domestic
Regulation.
(c) that the Special Session meetings will be he ld back-to-back with the regular meetings
of the Council for Trade in Services and its subsidiary bodies, in June, July,
September and November.
(d) that the two existing agenda items of the Special Session of the Council for  Trade in
Services, namely "Assessment of Trade in Services" and "Work of Subsidiary Bodies
– Reports by Chairpersons" would still be retained.
(e) that a best endeavour deadline of March 2001 be set for the completion of the work in
the Committee on Specific Commitments.
(f) that the second phase of these negotiations would begin with a stock-taking exercise
in March 2001, both of progress made in the Special Sessions and the subsidiary
bodies, and consideration of how to move forward with the preparation of the
negotiating guidelines and procedures under Article XIX:3.
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