RESTRICTED  
  
S/WPDR/W/54  
28 September 2015  
(15-5011)  Page: 1/2  
Working Party on Domestic Regulation  
   
 
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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE WORKING PARTY ON DOMESTIC REGULATION 
TO THE COUNCIL FOR TRAD E IN SERVICES (2015) 
 
Since its Annual Report of 2014 to the Council for Trade in Services1, the Working Party on 
Domestic Regulation (WPDR) has held two formal meetings, respectively on 17 March and 3 June 
2015.2 During the period covered by this report, the Working Party continued with its work on 
domestic regulation disciplines pursuant to GATS Article VI:4.  A dedicated discussion of domestic 
regulation in Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) was continued.  Additionally, following earlier 
discussions of the Working Party on the Secretariat background Note on Technical Standards in Services (S/WPDR/W/49), a presentation was gi ven by the International Organization for 
Standardization (ISO) on its work relating to services standards. 
1  DEDICATED DISCUSSION ON DOMESTIC REGULATION IN REGIONAL TRADE 
AGREEMENTS 
1.1.  The dedicated discussion on Members' experi ences with domestic regulation disciplines in 
services regional trade agreements was continued during the first meeting of the review period, on 
the basis of one additional oral contribution. Th e purpose of the discussion was to give Members 
the opportunity to share details on the different ty pes of domestic regulation provisions that can 
be found in Regional Trade Agreements, as well as to draw any commonalities or differences with 
the disciplines negotiated under the GATS Article VI:4 mandate. The Working Party agreed to include this item on the agenda of future meetings  on the basis of delegations' indications to the 
Secretariat.  
2  DEVELOPMENT OF REGULATORY DISCIPLINES UNDER GATS ARTICLE VI:4 
2.1.  The Working Party continued to discuss the a ppropriate course of action with regard to the 
development of regulatory disciplines under GATS Article VI:4.  At the June meeting, a group of 
delegations suggested a discussion on elements that  delegations considered 'doable' and 'realistic', 
should domestic regulation form pa rt of the post-Bali work programme.
3  A large number of 
delegations intervened under this proposed discussi on, with several of them providing substantive 
views on their DR priorities in the context of  a post-Bali work programme.  Other delegations 
reiterated that other areas of the negotiations needed to progress before the issue of domestic regulation could be considered in the same context.     
                                               
1 S/WPDR/17, dated 17 November 2014. 
2 The reports of the formal meet ings are contained in documents S/WPDR/M/63 and 64 and should be 
read in conjunction with this report. 
3 RD/SERV/124, dated 22 May 2015;  Unofficial Room Document - Communication from Australia; 
Canada; Colombia; Republic of Korea; Mexico and the Se parate Customs Territory of  Taiwan, Phenghu, Kinmen 
and Matsu - Proposal to discuss elements of Domestic Regu lation that could form part  of the services post-Bali 
work programme. S/WPDR/W/54 
 
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  3  PRESENTATION BY THE INTERNATIONA L ORGANIZATION FOR STANDARDIZATION 
3.1.  A representative of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) updated the 
Working Party on activities of the ISO in the field of services standards, and replied to questions by 
members of the Working Party.4 
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4 The presentation by the ISO was made available in RD/SERV/126, dated 4 June 2015.