RESTRICTED  
  
TN/S/43  
7 June 2022 
(22-4309) Page: 1/2 
Council for Trade in Services  
Special Session  Original:  English  
 
  
REPORT BY AMBASSADOR ZHANAR AITZHANOVA, CHAIR OF THE CTS SPECIAL SESSION  
TO THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL  
7 JUNE 2022  
1.  This report , which is made under my own responsibility, provides an update on the state of 
discussions in the Special Session of the Council for Trade in Services with respect to services text 
for M C12.  It complements my earlier report s of 19 November 2021 (Part I o f TN/S/42) and of 
4 May 2022 (JOB/SERV/315) on this matter.  The overview of discussions in the CTS SS since MC11 
that I had provided on 19 November 2021 (Part II of TN/S/42) can also be read in conjunction with 
this report.    
1  STATE OF PLAY FOR MC12  
2.  At meetings of the TNC and Heads of Delegations in 2021, I reported that there was good support 
in the CTS SS for having text on trade in services in the MC12 outcome document.1   
3.  On 4 May 2022, I reported to the TNC that , following discussions in Novembe r, Members had 
largely converged on the first four sentences of a paragraph on services trade for the MC12 outcome 
document .  However, a s I indicated in JOB/SERV/315, a dditional l anguage to refer to recent work 
of the Special Session and post -MC12 work had not been agreed .   
4.  Since my report on 4 May , I have convened an open -ended meeting on 20 May and held 
consultations in different configurations  to help reach convergence  on the last part  of the paragraph .  
Over the last days,  I have brought together the different groups of delegations that had put forward 
text proposals over the last year as well as those that had expressed concerns  and offered alternative 
formulation .   
5.  As a result of these discussions, differences among participan ts have been narrowed to the 
following formulation for the last sentence: [We take note of work in the area of trade in 
services[,including work undertaken within the C ouncil for Trade in Services (Special Session) ].]  
The key difference is that o ne group would accept the full sentence, while the other would only 
accept a shorter sentence , stopping at "area of trade in services" .  For the different groups involved, 
the formulation s represent significant compromise.     
6.  Chair, at this stage, I therefore consider that the following text reflects the current level of 
progress .  Further discussions would be needed to finalize it.  I am s haring , under my own 
responsibility, the text with the membership for further consideration with a view to its eventual 
inclusion  in the MC12  outcome document :  
[Services trade is vital to the global economy and has a major role to play in global economic 
output and employment. The COVID -19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of services 
and has had a significant  impact on services trade and services sectors, particularly for 
developing Members, including least -developed countries (LDCs).  We underscore the 
importance of recovery for services most impacted by the pandemic and of efforts to 
strengthen such services,  taking into account challenges and opportunities encountered by 
Members. We acknowledge the need to facilitate the increasing participation of developing 
Members, including LDCs, in global services trade, including by paying particular attention to 
 
1 JOB/SERV/310, JOB/TNC/99, JOB/SERV/312.  TN/S/43  
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  sector s and modes of supply of export interest to them.  [We take note of work in the area of 
trade in services[,including work undertaken within the Council for Trade in Services (Special 
Session)].] ] 
7.  I remain will ing, Chair, to further work with delegations , and with you, on this text.  I encourage 
delegations to reflect further and I continue to believe that text can gather support with the required 
pragmatism  and openness .  
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