S/WPDR/ 19 
 
25 November  2016 
(16-6490) Page: 1/2 
   
 
 
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE  WORKING PARTY ON DOM ESTIC REGULATION  
TO THE COUNCIL FOR T RADE IN SERVICES (20 16) 
Since its Annual Report of 2015 to the Council for Trade in Services1, the Working Party on 
Domestic Regulation (WPDR) held four formal meetings, respect ively on 15 October 2015, 
17 March, 16 June, and 6 October 2016.2 During the period covered by this report,  the Working 
Party continued with its work on domestic regulation disciplines pursuant to GATS Article VI:4.    
DEVELOPMENT OF REGUL ATORY DISCIPLINES UNDER GATS ARTICLE V I:4 
1.1.  The focus of the discussion at the meeting on 15 October  2015 was on inclusion of a possible 
transparency element in an outcome at  the Tenth WTO Ministerial Conference in Nairobi.  While 
some delegations suggested that such an outco me was desirable and could be built around 
transparency elements of previous WPDR Chair draft texts, other delegations  were not convinced 
that transparency in domestic regulation was an issue that should be included in a Nairobi 
outcome.  
1.2.    During the meeti ng of the Working Party on 17 March 2016, delegations were in agreement 
that further work should take place on the basis of the full mandate of the Working Party  under 
Article VI:4 .  Delegations expressed general readiness to engage on substance. Several 
delegations stated that a first step towards engagement could be a discussion on objectives and 
desired outcomes.  
1.3.  At the meeting of 16 June 2016, on the basis of a proposal by a group of Members3, many 
delegations engaged in a discussion of experiences wit h domestic regulation barriers, Members' 
objectives, possible elements to be included in future domestic regulation disciplines, and the way 
forward in the work of the WPDR.  Upon request by Members, the Chairperson prepared an 
informal summary of possible  elements for inclusion in disciplines on domestic regulation that were 
mentioned by Members at the meeting.4 
 
                                                
1 S/WPDR/18, dated 15 October 2015.  
2 The reports of the formal meetin gs are contained in documents S/WPDR/M/65 - 68 and should be read 
in conjunction with this report.  
3 JOB/SERV/231/Rev.1, dated 13 June 2016; Communication from Australia; Chile; China; Colombia; 
Hong Kong, China; the Republic of Korea; Mexico; New Zealand;  Norway; the Russian Federation; Singapore; 
Switzerland; the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu; and Turkey - Elements for 
Discussion.  
4 JOB/SERV/236, dated 28 June 2016; Informal Summary by the Chairperson - Possible Elements o f 
Domestic Regulation Disciplines mentioned at the Meeting of the Working Party on Domestic Regulation on 
16 June 2016.  S/WPDR/1 9 
 
- 2 - 
 
  1.4.  During the meeting of 6 October 2016, the Working Party addressed two communications by 
Members: one communication by a group of Members provided  text proposals on "Administration 
of Measures"5, while the other communication, by India, present ed a "Concept Note for an 
Initiative on Trade Facilitation in Services .6   
 
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5 JOB/SERV/239, dated 27 September 2016; Communication from Australia, Chile, Colombia, the 
European Union, Mexico, Norway, the Republi c of Korea,  and the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, 
Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu – Domestic Regulation – Administration of Measures. A revision to the 
Communication to include Japan and Peru among the co -sponsors was issued on 31 October 2016, 
JOB/SERV/ 239/Rev.1.  
6 S/WPDR/W/55, dated 27 September 2016; Communication from India - Concept Note for an Initiative 
on Trade Facilitation in Services .