RESTRICTED  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/4/Rev.4
18 November 1999 
 (99-5012) 
Working Party on the Accession 
of the Sultanate of Oman Original:   English 
 
 
 
ACCESSION OF THE SULTANATE OF OMAN 
 
Communication from the Sultanate of Oman  
 
Revision  
 
  For the purposes of the accession of the Sultanate of Oman to the WTO, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of the Sultanate of Oman has presented the following revised offer of 
commitments on trade in services, with the request that it be circulated to members of the 
Working Party.   
_______________ 
  WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/4/Rev.4 
Page 2 
 
Modes of supply: (1)  Cross-border supply  (2)  Consumption abroad   (3)  Commercial pres ence    4)  Presen ce of natural person s 
Sector or sub-sector Limitations on market access Limitations on nati onal treatment Additional commitments 
All sectors and sub-Sectors 
included in this schedule The conditions of ownership, management, 
operation, juridical form and  
scope of activities as set out in a license or other form of approval  
establishing or authorizing the operation or 
supply of services by an existing foreign service supplier, will not be made more 
restrictive than they exist as of the date of 
Oman's accession to the WTO. 
 
3) Commercial presence in the form of a company incorporated  in Oman, with 
foreign equity limited to: 
 i) 49%, (ii) Starting from the effective date 
of relevant legislation, but no later than 1 
January 2001, 70%.  
Commercial presence allowed for 
representative offices, as from 1 January 2001.   
 
Commercial presence for foreign service companies subject to minimum capital of 
RO 150,000 until 31 D ecember 2000.  No 
such requirement as from 1 January 2001.  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
3) Purchase of land and real estate is not permitted to foreign companies and 
foreign individuals.  However, service 
suppliers will have the right to 50 year renewable leases for land and buildings 
necessary to engage in service activities. 
 Companies with foreign equity up to 
70% will pay income taxes at the same 
rates as wholly owned Omani companies.  Howeve r, companies with 
foreign equity exceeding 70% may be 
required to pay a higher rate of income tax as compared with wholly Omani 
owned companies.  
 4) Unbound except for measures concerning 
entry and temporary stay of natural persons 
who fall into one of the following 
categories:  4) Unbound except for measures 
concerning the categories of natural 
persons referred to in the market access 
column.    WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/4/Rev.4
 Page 3Modes of supply: (1)  Cross-border supply  (2)  Consumption abroad   (3)  Commercial pres ence    4)  Presen ce of natural person s 
Sector or sub-sector Limitations on market access Limitations on nati onal treatment Additional commitments 
 (i)  Business Visitors  
 
Persons not based in Oman, who visit Oman 
on behalf of a service supplier for business negotiations (and not for direct sale of 
services) or for doing preparatory work for 
establishing commercial presence in Oman.  Entry for persons in this category shall be 
for a period of  90 days. 
   
 Persons who are employees of an enterprise 
outside Oman, not having commercial 
presence in Oman, which has concluded a 
services contract with an enterprise engaged in substantive business in Oman and who 
provide a service in Oman as professionals 
on behalf of enterprise outside Oman.  Entry and stay of persons in this category shall be 
for a period of 90 days. 
   
 (ii)  Employees of juridical persons  
 
Limited to 20% of the total number of personnel of a service supplier.  
The entry of such natural persons shall be 
for a period of two years subject to renewal for two additional years with a maximum of 
four years. 
   
    
    
    
    
    
    
     WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/4/Rev.4 
Page 4 
Modes of supply: (1)  Cross-border supply  (2)  Consumption abroad   (3)  Commercial pres ence    4)  Presen ce of natural person s 
Sector or sub-sector Limitations on market access Limitations on nati onal treatment Additional commitments 
 Definition of intracorporate transferees:  
Managers, executives and specialists who 
are employees of firms that provide services 
within Oman through a branch, subsidiary or affiliate established in Oman and who 
have been in the prior employ of their firm 
outside Oman.    
 Managers:   Persons within an organization 
who primarily direct the organization or a 
department or sub division of the organization, supervise and control the work 
of other supervisory, professional or 
managerial employees, have the authority to hire or fire or recomm end hiring, firing, or 
other personnel actions (such as promotion 
or leave authoriza tion), and exercise 
discretionary authority over day-to-day 
operations.  Does not include first-line 
supervisors unless the employees supervised are professionals nor does it include 
employees who primarily perform tasks 
necessary for the provis ion of the service. 
   
 Specialists:   Persons within an organization 
who possess knowledge at an advanced level of continued expertise and who 
possess proprietary knowledge of the 
organization's services, research, equipment, 
techniques or management.   
   WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/4/Rev.4
 Page 5 
Modes of supply: (1)  Cross-border supply  (2)  Consumption abroad   (3)  Commercial presence    4)  Presence of natural person s 
Sector or sub-sector Limitations on market access Limitations on nati onal treatment Additional commitments 
II.  SECTOR-SPECIFIC COMMITMENTS 
1.  BUSINESS SERVICES 
A.  Professional Services 
a) Legal services 
Consulting work in home  country law, third country law  and international law only.   
Part of CPC  861  
b) Accounting, auditing and book-keeping 
services.     
CPC 8621 & 8622 c)  Taxation Services.             
CPC 8630 
d)  Architectural Services.       CPC 8671 
e)  Engineering services.          
CPC 8672 f)   Integrated engineering services. 
CPC 8673 
g)  Urban planning & landscape architectural services.         
CPC 8674 
h)  Medical & dental services     CPC 9312 
i)  Veterinary services.               
CPC 93201 1) None 
2) None 3) None 
4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section 1) None 
2) None 3) None 
4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section  
B. Computer and Related Services 
CPC 841 - 845 & 849 
a) Consultancy services related to the 
installation of computer hardware 
b) Software implementation services c) Data processing services 
d) Data base services 
e) Other 1) None 
2) None 
3) None; starting no later than 1 January 
2003, commercial presence of wholly foreign-owned subsidiaries will be 
permitted. 
4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section. 1) None 
2) None 
3) None 
  
 
4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section.  
     WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/4/Rev.4 
Page 6 
Modes of supply: (1)  Cross-border supply  (2)  Consumption abroad   (3)  Commercial presence    4)  Presence of natural person s 
Sector or sub-sector Limitations on market access Limitations on nati onal treatment Additional commitments 
C. Research & Development Services 
CPC 851-853 
a) R&D services on natural sciences b) R&D services on social sciences and 
humanities. 
c) Interdisciplinary R&D services 1) None 
2) None 3) None 
4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section 1) None 
2) None 3) None 
4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section  
F. Other Business Services 
a) Advertising                       
CPC 871 b) Market research               
CPC 86401 
c) Management consulting    CPC 8650 
d) Services related to management consulting  
CPC 866 e) Technical testing and analysis services      
CPC 8675 + 8676 
f)Services incidental to agriculture, hunting and forestry. 
CPC 881 
g) Services incidental to fishing.  
CPC 8820 
h) Services incidental to mining, including oil field drilling  
CPC 88 + 5115 
i) Services incidental to manufacturing. CPC 884+885 (except 88442)        
j) Services incidental  to energy distribution 
CPC 887 m) Related scientific & technical consulting 
services  
CPC - 8675 1) None 
2) None 3) None 
4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 1) None 
2) None 3) None 
4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
n) Maintenance & repair of equipment (not 
including maritime vessels, aircrafts or other 
transport equipment)  
CPC 633 + 8861 - 8866      WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/4/Rev.4
 Page 7Modes of supply: (1)  Cross-border supply  (2)  Consumption abroad   (3)  Commercial presence    4)  Presence of natural person s 
Sector or sub-sector Limitations on market access Limitations on nati onal treatment Additional commitments 
o) Building cleaning                 
CPC 874 q) Packaging                             
CPC 8760 1) None 
2) None 3) Foreign equity limited to 51% 
4) Unbound, except as in the horizontal 
section 1) None 
2) None 3) None 
4) Unbound, except as in the horizontal 
section  
s) Convention                           
CPC 87909 1) None 
2) None 
3) None 
4) Unbound, except as in the horizontal section 1) None 
2) None 
3) None 
4) Unbound, except as in the horizontal section  
II.  SECTOR-SPECIFIC COMMITMENTS 
2.  COMMUNICATI ON SERVICES 
B. Courier Services                      
CPC 7512 1) None 
2) None 
3) None; starting no later than 1 January 
2003, commercial presence of wholly foreign-owned subsidiaries will be 
permitted. 
4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section 1) None 
2) None 
3) None 
  
 
4) Unbound, except as  indicated in  
the horizontal section  
Telecommunication Services  
Commitments are scheduled in accordan ce with--"Notes for Scheduling Basic Te lecom Services Commi tments" (S/GBT/W/ 
2/REV.1); and,--"Market Access Limitations on Spectrum Availability" (S/GBT/W/3)  WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/4/Rev.4 
Page 8 
Modes of supply: (1)  Cross-border supply  (2)  Consumption abroad   (3)  Commercial presence    4)  Presence of natural person s 
Sector or sub-sector Limitations on market access Limitations on nati onal treatment Additional commitments 
a)  Voice Telephone Services 1) St arting no later than 1 January 2004; 
none 2) None 
3) Until 31 December 2003, GTO will 
have exclusive right to provide services.  Starting no later than 1 January 2004, 
none; starting no later than 1 January 
2005, commercial presence in the form of wholly foreign-owned subsidiaries 
permitted. 
4) Unbound, except as in the horizontal 
section 1) None 
 2) None 
3) None 
  
 
  
 
4) Unbound, except as in the horizontal 
section Oman adopts the additional 
commitments listed in the Reference Paper attached. 
b) Packet Switched Data Transmission 
Services 
c) Circuit Switched Data Transmission Services. 1) Starting  1 January 2004, none 
2) None 
3) Until 31 December 2003, GTO  will have exclusive right to provide 
services.  Starting no later than 
1 January 2004; none.  Starting no later than 1 January 2005, 
commercial presence in the form 
of wholly foreign-owned subsidiaries 
permitted. 
4) Unbound, except as in the horizontal section. 1) None 
2) None 
3) None  
 
  
 
 
 
4) Unbound, except as in the horizontal section  
d) Telex Services 
e) Telegraph Services 1) Starting no later than 1 January 2003, 
none. 
2) None 
3) Until 31 December 2002,  GTO 
will have exclusive right to provide 
services. Starting no later than 1 
January 2003 none; Starting 
no later than 1 January 2005, 
commercial presence in the form of wholly foreign-owned subsidiaries 
permitted.  
 1) None 
 
2) None 
3) None  
 
 
 
  
 
    WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/4/Rev.4
 Page 9Modes of supply: (1)  Cross-border supply  (2)  Consumption abroad   (3)  Commercial presence    4)  Presence of natural person s 
Sector or sub-sector Limitations on market access Limitations on nati onal treatment Additional commitments 
 4) Unbound, except as in the horizontal 
section 4) Unbound, except as in the horizontal 
section  
f) Facsimile Services (The provision of 
facsimile equipment has already been 
liberalized and GTO does not provide the 
equipment) 1) Starting no later than 1 January 2004, 
none. 
2) None 
3) Until 31 December 2003,  GTO will 
have exclusive right to provide services.  
Starting no later than 1 January 2004, 
none; starting no later than 1 January 2005, commercial presence in the form 
of wholly foreign-owned subsidiaries 
permitted. 4) Unbound except as in the horizontal 
section 1) None 
 
2) None 
3) None  
 
  
 
 4) Unbound, except as in the horizontal 
section  
Mobile/Cellular Services  
 Analogue/digital services 
PCS (Personal Comm. Services) 
Paging Services Mobile Data Services 1) Starting no later than 1 January 2003, 
none. 2) None 
3) Until 31 December 2002,
 GTO will 
have exclusive right to provide services.  Starting no later than 1 January 2003, 
none; starting no later than 2005, 
commercial presence in the form of wholly foreign-owned subsidiaries 
permitted. 
4) Unbound except as in the horizontal section 1) None 
 2) None 
3) None 
  
 
  
 
4) Unbound, except as in the horizontal section  
Payphone & Calling  Card Services 1) Starting no later than 1 January 2001, 
for payphones services, none; starting 
no later than 1 January 2002, for calling card operations, none. 
2) None 
3) Until 31 December 2000,
 GTO will 
have exclusive right to provide 
payphone services.  None as of 1 
January 2001; starting no later than 1  1) None 
 
  
2) None 
3) None    WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/4/Rev.4 
Page 10 
Modes of supply: (1)  Cross-border supply  (2)  Consumption abroad   (3)  Commercial presence    4)  Presence of natural person s 
Sector or sub-sector Limitations on market access Limitations on nati onal treatment Additional commitments 
 January 2003, comme rcial presence in 
the form of wholly foreign-owned subsidiaries permitted. 
Until 31 December 2001, GTO will 
have exclusive right to provide calling card operation services.  
For calling card operation services none 
as of 1 January 2002.  Starting no later than 1 January 2003, commercial 
presence in the form of wholly foreign-
owned subsidiaries permitted. 
4) Unbound, except as in the horizontal 
section.  
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
4) Unbound, except as in the horizontal 
section  
g) Private Leased circuit services 
Data Services Internet Services 1) Starting no later than 1 January 2003, 
none. 2) None 
3) Until 31 December 2002,
 GTO will 
have exclusive right to provide services.  Starting no later than 1 January 2003, 
none; starting no later than 1 January 
2005,commercial pres ence in the form 
of wholly foreign-owned subsidiaries 
permitted. 4) Unbound except as in the horizontal 
section 1) None 
 2) None 
3) None 
  
 
 
 
 4) Unbound, except as in the horizontal 
section    WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/4/Rev.4
 Page 11Modes of supply: (1)  Cross-border supply  (2)  Consumption abroad   (3)  Commercial presence    4)  Presence of natural person s 
Sector or sub-sector Limitations on market access Limitations on nati onal treatment Additional commitments 
h) Electronic Mail 
i) Voice Mail j) On-line information and data base retrieval 
k) Electronic  Data Interchange 
l) Enhanced/value added facsimile services (incl. Store and forward, store and retrieve). 
m) Code and protocol conversion 
n) On-line information and/or data processing, including transaction processing 1) Starting no later than 1 January 2003, 
none. 2) None 
3) Until 31 December 2003, GTO will 
have exclusive right to provide services.  Starting no later than 1 January 2004, 
none.; starting no later than 1 January 
2005, commercial presence in the form of wholly foreign-owned subsidiaries 
permitted. 
4) Unbound, except as in the horizontal 
section. 1) None 
 2) None 
3) None 
  
 
  
 
4) Unbound, except as in the horizontal 
section  
Audiovisual Services  
a) Motion picture and videotape distribution 
services          CPC 9611 
 1) None 
2) None 
3) Foreign equity limited to 49% 4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section 1) None 
2) None 
3) None 4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section  
b) Cinema ownership & operation       
CPC 9612 1) None 
2) None 3) Foreign equity limited to 51% 
4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section 1) None 
2) None 3) None 
4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section  
3. CONSTRUCTION & RELATED ENGINEERING SERVICES 
A. General Construction work for buildings 
CPC 512 B. General Construction work for Civil 
Engineering 
CPC 513 C. Installation and Assembly Work   
CPC 514, 516 
D. Building Completion and Finishing Work 
CPC 517 
E. Other                             CPC 511, 515, 518 1) None 
2) None 3) None 
4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section  
 
 
 
 1) None 
2) None 3) None 
4) Unbound, except as  indicated in  
the horizontal section  
 
 
  
    
     WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/4/Rev.4 
Page 12 
Modes of supply: (1)  Cross-border supply  (2)  Consumption abroad   (3)  Commercial presence    4)  Presence of natural person s 
Sector or sub-sector Limitations on market access Limitations on nati onal treatment Additional commitments 
4. DISTRIBUTION SERVICES 
A. Commission agents Services    
CPC 621 B. Wholesale trade Services       
CPC 622 
C. Retailing Services     CPC 631+632, 6111, 6113, 6121 
D. Franchising               
CPC 8929 1) None 
2) None 3) None 
4) Unbound , except as indicated in the 
horizontal section  1) None 
2) None 3) None 
4) Unbound , except as indicated in the 
horizontal section  
5. EDUCATIONAL SERVICES 
A. Secondary education services   
CPC 922 B. Higher education services          
CPC 923 
C. Adult education                     CPC 924 
D. Other education services        
CPC 929 1) None 
2) None 3) None 
4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section 1) None 
2) None 3) None 
4) Unbound, except as  indicated in  
the horizontal section.  
6. ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES 
A. Sewage Services                     
CPC 94010 
B. Refuse disposal services         
CPC 94020 C. Sanitation & similar services   
CPC 94030 
Cleaning services of exhaust gases CPC 94040  
Noise abatement services  
CPC 94050  Nature and landscape protection services 
CPC 94060 
D. Other   CPC 94090 1) None 
2) None 
3) None 
4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section. 1) None 
2) None 
3) None 
4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section  
    
    
      WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/4/Rev.4
 Page 13Modes of supply: (1)  Cross-border supply  (2)  Consumption abroad   (3)  Commercial presence    4)  Presence of natural person s 
Sector or sub-sector Limitations on market access Limitations on nati onal treatment Additional commitments 
II.  SECTOR-SPECIFIC COMMITMENTS 
7.  FINANCIAL SERVICES 
A.  Insurance & insurance related services 
Direct insurance (including co-insurance): 
(a) Life   
CPC 8121 (b) Non-life   
CPC 8129 
(c) Reinsurance & retrocession;   CPC 81299 1) None 
2) None 
3) None; starting no later than 1 January 2003, commercial presence in the form 
of wholly foreign-owned subsidiaries 
and branches permitted. 4) Unbound, except as  indicated in  
the horizontal section. 1) None 
2) None 
3) None  
 
 4) Unbound, except as  indicated in  
the horizontal section.     
Insurance intermediation, such as brokerage 
and agency;   CPC 8140 
Services auxiliary to insurance, such as 
consultancy, actuarial, risk assessment and claim settlement services.  
CPC 8140 1) None 
2) None 3) Foreign equity limited to 70%. 
4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section. 1) None 
2) None 3) None 
4) Unbound, except as  indicated in  
the horizontal section.  
B. Banking and other financial services (excluding insurance) 
(a) Acceptance of deposits and other repayable 
funds from the public   
CPC 81115-81119 (b) Lending of all types, including, consumer 
credit, mortgage credit, factoring and financing 
of commercial transaction;   CPC 8113 
(c) Financial leasing;   
CPC 8112 (d) All payment and money transmission 
services, including credit, charge and debit 
cards, travellers cheques and bankers drafts;   
CPC 81339  1) None for financial information 
services and financial advisory services.  
Unbound for other services. 2) None 
3) (i) None. Upon accession, 
commercial presence allowed for wholly owned branches of foreign 
banks.  Starting no later than 1 January 
2003, commercial presence in the form of wholly foreign-owned subsidiaries 
and branches of foreign banks and other 
financial services suppliers. 
 1) None for financial information 
services and financial advisory services; 
unbound for other services. 2) None 
3) None 
  
 
   WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/4/Rev.4 
Page 14 
Modes of supply: (1)  Cross-border supply  (2)  Consumption abroad   (3)  Commercial presence    4)  Presence of natural person s 
Sector or sub-sector Limitations on market access Limitations on nati onal treatment Additional commitments 
(e) Guarantees and commitments;  
CPC 81199 (f) Trading for own acc ount or for account of 
customers, whether on an exchange, in an 
over-the-counter market or otherwise, the following: ii) The aggregate holding by (a) an 
individual and his relating parties (b) an incorporated body and its related parties 
(c) a Joint-Stock Company or a Holding 
Company & its related parties, in a locally incorporated bank shall not 
exceed 35%of the voting shares of the 
bank.   
 iv) Number of bank branches in Muscat 
limited to four for each bank (whether 
local or foreign).   
- Money market instruments (including 
cheques, bills, certificates of deposits);   
CPC 81339 
- foreign exchange;   CPC 81333 
 4) Unbound, except th at, subject to the 
horizontal commitment for 
intracorporate transf erees, the number 
of foreign persons limited to 20% of the total number of employees of a bank or 
a financial service company. 4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section.  
- derivative products including, but not limited 
to, futures and options;   
CPC 81339 
-  exchange rate and interest rate instruments, 
including products such as swaps,    
CPC 81339 -  forward rate agreements; 
-  transferable securities;   
CPC 8121 - other negotiable instruments and financial 
assets, including bullion.   
CPC 81339 (g) Participation in issues of all kinds of 
securities, including under-writing and 
placement as agent (whether publicly or privately) and provision of services related to 
such issues;   
CPC 8132 (h) Money broking; CPC 81339      WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/4/Rev.4
 Page 15Modes of supply: (1)  Cross-border supply  (2)  Consumption abroad   (3)  Commercial presence    4)  Presence of natural person s 
Sector or sub-sector Limitations on market access Limitations on nati onal treatment Additional commitments 
(i) Asset management, such as cash or 
portfolio management, all forms of collective investment management, pension fund 
management, custodial, depository and trust 
services;   CPC 8119 + 81323 
(j) Settlement and clearing services for 
financial assets, including securities, derivative products, and other negotiable instruments;    
CPC 81339 or 81319    
(k) Advisory, intermediation and other 
auxiliary financial services on all the activities listed in sub-paragraphs (v) through (xv), 
including credit reference and analysis, 
investment and portfolio research and advice, advice on acquisitions and on corporate 
restructuring and strategy.   
CPC 8131 or 8133 (l) Provision and transfer of financial 
information, and financial data processing and 
related software by suppliers of other financial 
services;   
CPC 8131    
8. HEALTH AND RELATED SOCIAL SERVICES 
A. Hospital services              
CPC 9311 1) None 
2) None 
3) Only for hospitals of more than 50 
beds 4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section. 1) None 
2) None 
3) None, except as indicated under  
limitations on market access. 4) Unbound, except as  indicated in  
the horizontal section.  
    
    
    
    
    
     WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/4/Rev.4 
Page 16 
Modes of supply: (1)  Cross-border supply  (2)  Consumption abroad   (3)  Commercial presence    4)  Presence of natural person s 
Sector or sub-sector Limitations on market access Limitations on nati onal treatment Additional commitments 
9. TOURISM & RELATED SERVICES 
A. Hotels and restaurants      
CPC 64110, 64120, 642 B. Travel agencies and tour operators services  
CPC 7471 1) None 
2) None 3) Foreign equity for restaurants limited 
to 49%. None for others. 
4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section 1) None 
2) None 3) None 
 
4) Unbound, except as  indicated in  
the horizontal section.  
11. TRANSPORT SERVICES 
A.  Maritime Transport Services 
(a) Passenger transportation     
CPC 7211 
(b) Freight transportation          
CPC 7212 1) None 
2) None 
3) None 
4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section 1) None 
2) None 
3) None 
4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section The following services at the 
port are made available to 
international maritime 
transport suppliers on non-discriminatory terms and 
conditions: 
1) Pilotage 2) Towing and tug assistance 
3) Provisioning, fueling and 
watering 4) Garbage collecting and 
ballast waste disposal 
5) Port Captain's services 6) Navigation aids 
7) Shore-based operational 
services essential to ship operations including 
communications, water and 
electrical supplies. 8) Emergency repair facilities. 
C. Air Transport Services  
(d) Maintenance and repair of aircraft CPC 
8868 and as defined in para 6(a) of the annex 
of air transport services of the GATS 1) None 
2) None 
3) None 4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section 1) None 
2) None 
3) None 4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section    WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/4/Rev.4
 Page 17Modes of supply: (1)  Cross-border supply  (2)  Consumption abroad   (3)  Commercial presence    4)  Presence of natural person s 
Sector or sub-sector Limitations on market access Limitations on nati onal treatment Additional commitments 
i) The selling and marke ting of air transport 
services ii) Computer reservation system (CRS) 
services (As defined in sub-0aras (b) and (c) of 
para 6 of the Annex on Air Transport Services). 1) None 
2) None 3) Foreign equity limited to 51%. 
4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section 1) None 
2) None 3) None 
4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section  
H. Services Auxiliary to all Modes of Transport 
(c) Freight transport agency services  
CPC 748 
 1) None 
2) None 
3) None 
4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section 1) None 
2) None 
3) None 
4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section  
(a) Cargo handling services   
CPC-741 
(b) Storage and warehouse services   CPC-742 
(c) Other  CPC 743-747 & 749 1) None 
2) None 
3) Foreign equity limited to 51%. 4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section 1) None 
2) None 
3) None 4) Unbound, except as  indicated in the 
horizontal section  WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/4/Rev.4 
Page 18  
 
REFERENCE PAPER
 
 
Scope  
 The following are definitions and principles on the regulatory framework for the basic 
telecommunications services. 
 Definitions
 
 Users
 mean service consumers and service suppliers. 
 
Essential facilities  mean facilities of a public telecommunications transport network or service 
that   a) are exclusively or predominantly provided by a single or limited number of 
suppliers; and 
  b) cannot feasible be economically or technically substituted in order to provide a 
service. 
 A major suppliers
 is a supplier which has the ability to materially affect the terms of 
participation (having regard to price and supply) in the relevant market for basic 
telecommunications services as a result of:   a) control over essential facilities; or  
 b) use of its position in the market 
 1. Competitive safeguards
 
 1.1 Prevention of anti-competitive practices in telecommunications
 
 
 Appropriate measures shall be maintained for the purpose of preventing suppliers who, 
along or together, are a major supplier from engaging in or continuing anti-competitive practices. 
 1.2 Safeguards
 
 
 The anti-competitive practices referred to above shall include in particular:  
a) engaging in anti-competitive cross-subsidization;  b) using information obtained from competitors with anti-competitive results; and 
 
c) not making available to other services suppliers on a timely basis technical 
information about essential facilities and commercially relevant information which are necessary for them to provide services. 
 
2. Interconnection
 
 2.1 This section applies to linking with suppliers providing public telecommunications 
transport networks or services in order to allow the users of one supplier to communicate with users of another supplier and to access services provided by another 
supplier, where specific commitments are undertaken.  WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/4/Rev.4 
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2.2 Interconnection to be ensured  
  Interconnection with a major supplier will be ensured at any technically feasible point in 
the network.  Such interconnection is provided: 
 
 a) under non-discriminatory terms, conditions (including technical standards and 
specifications) and rates and of a quality no less favourable than that provided for its own like services or for like services of non-affiliated service suppliers or for its subsidiaries or other affiliates; 
 
 b) in a timely fashion, on terms, conditions (including technical standards and 
specifications) and cost-oriented rates that are transparent, reasonable, having regard to economic feasibility, and sufficiently unbundled so that the supplier need not pay for network components or facilities that it does not require for the service to be provided; and 
 
 c) upon request, at points in addition to the network termination points offered to 
the majority of users, subject to charges that reflect the cost of construction of necessary additional facilities. 
 2.3 Public availability of the procedures for interconnection negotiations
 
 
 The procedures applicable for interconnection to a major supplier will be made publicly 
available. 
 2.4 Transparency of interconnection arrangements
 
 
 It is ensured that a major supplier will make publicly available either its interconnection 
agreements or a reference interconnection offer. 
 2.5 Interconnection: dispute settlement
 
 
 A service supplier requesting interconnection with a major supplier will have recourse, 
either: 
 
a) at any time or  
b) after a reasonable period of time which has been made publicly known. 
 
 to an independent domestic body, which may be a regulatory body as referred to in 
paragraph 5 below, to resolve disputes regarding appropriate terms, conditions and rates for interconnection within a reasonable period of time, to the extent that these have not been established previously. 
 
3. Universal service
 
  Any Member has the right to define the kind of universal service obligation it wishes to 
maintain.  Such obligations will not be regarded as anti-competitive per se , provided 
they are administered in a transparent, non-discriminatory and competitively neutral 
manner and are not more burdensome that necessary for the kind of universal service defined by the Member. WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/4/Rev.4 
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 4. Public availability of licensing criteria
 
  Where a license is required, the following will be made publicly available:  
a) all the licensing criteria and the period of time normally required to reach a 
decision concerning an applicable for a license and 
 b) the terms and conditions of individual licenses.  
 The reasons for the denial of a license will be made known to the applicant upon 
request. 
 5. Independent regulators
 
 
 The regulatory body is separate from, and not accountable to, any supplier of basic 
telecommunications services.  The decisions of and the procedures used by regulators shall be impartial with respect to all market participants. 
 6. Allocation and use of scarce resources
 
 
 Any procedures for the allocation and use of scarce resources, including frequencies, 
number and rights of way, will be carried out in an objective, timely, transparent and non-discriminatory manner.  The current state of allocated frequency bands will be made publicly available, but detailed identification of frequencies allocated for specific government uses is not required. 
 
  
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