. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  RESTRICTED 
S/CSC/W/60 
20 November 2012 
 (12-6353) 
Committee on Specific Commitments  
 
 
 
- DRAFT - 
 
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON SPECIFIC COMMITMENTS  
TO THE COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN SERVICES (2012) 
  
1. Since its Annual Report of 2011 to the Council for Trade in Services
1, the Committee on 
Specific Commitments (CSC) held four formal meetings, respectively on 2 November 2011, 
20 March 2012, 25 June 2012, and 4 October 2012.2  During the period covered by this report, the 
Committee addressed three items:  classification i ssues; scheduling issues; and the review of 
procedures under Article XXI.   
I. CLASSIFICATION ISSUES  
2. The Committee continued to consider classificati on issues, based on the Secretariat's sectoral 
Background Notes.  Discussions were carried out in informal mode.  The following sectors were 
examined during the reporting period: environmental services; energy services; climate-related services; postal and courier services; and distribu tion services.  To facilitate discussions, for each 
sector under examination, the Secretariat prepared an informal Note providing an overview of 
relevant classification issues and suggesting sp ecific questions for Members' consideration 
(JOB/SERV/84, JOB/SERV/94, JOB/SERV/100, JO B/SERV/110, and JOB/SERV/111).  After the 
informal discussion at each meeting, an inform al, non-attributable summary was circulated to 
Members under the Chairman's responsibility. 
3. At the meeting on 25 June 2012, the Chairman reported to the Committee on the consultations 
his predecessor and he had undertaken with interest ed Members concerning some classification issues 
arising in the Committee's discussion on three sectors: computer and related services (CRS), telecommunication services, and audiovisual services.  The Chairman's Report is contained in document JOB/SERV/101. 
4. Also at the meeting on 25 June, the representativ es of the Corporate Secretariat International 
Association (CSIA) made a presentation to the Committee drawing attention to "Corporate 
Governance, Compliance and Secretarial Advisory Se rvices" which were not explicitly mentioned in 
the generally used Services Sectoral Classification List (W/120). 
5. At the meeting on 4 October 2012, statistical e xperts from the WTO Secretariat informed the 
Committee of important services classification changes brought about by the new IMF Balance of 
Payments Manual (BPM6).  The focus of the presentation was on the statistical treatment of 
manufacturing services on a fee basis, as well as of maintenance and repair services.  
                                                      
1 S/CSC/17, dated 4 November 2011. 
2 The reports of the formal meetings are contained in documents S/CSC/M/61-64 and 
S/CSC/M/64/Corr.1&2, and should be read in conjunction with this report. S/CSC/W/60 
Page 2  
 
  II. SCHEDULING ISSUES 
6. The Committee continued to discuss issues related to economic needs tests (ENTs) relevant to 
mode 4.   Delegations were inv ited to consider:  (i) what kind of measures might qualify as an ENT 
for mode 4; (ii) which elements  would constitute criteria for asse ssing "economic needs" under this 
mode; and (iii) how relevant measures should be  scheduled in a manner consistent with the 
Scheduling Guidelines.  Labour market tests were id entified as a type of measures that qualified as an 
ENT relevant to mode 4.   It was also pointed out that most entries related to labour market tests in 
schedules needed to be specified in order to be consistent with the Scheduling Guidelines. 
III.  REVIEW OF PROCEDURES UNDER ARTICLE XXI 
7. At the meeting on 25 June 2012, Australia requ ested that the Committee undertake a review 
of the operation of the procedures for the impl ementation of GATS Article XXI, contained in 
document S/L/80, and the procedures for the certification of rectifications or improvements to schedules, contained in document S/L/84.  At the meeting on 4 October 2012, Australia also 
submitted a communication for this purpose (S/CSC/W/ 59), proposing that Members share experience 
with using these procedures and that, in order to  facilitate discussions, the Secretariat produce a 
factual report on their operation to date.   
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