RESTRICTED  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  TN/S/O/ARE 
4 July 2005 
 (05-2911) 
Council for Trade in Services 
Special Session Original:   English 
 
 
 
 
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 
 
Initial Offer  
 
 
  The following initial offer has been received fro m the delegation of the United Arab Emirates 
on 22 June, 2005 with the request that it be circul ated to Members of the Council for Trade in 
Services. 
 
_______________ 
   I
NTRODUCTION : 
 
1. Recognizing WTO Members commitment in th ese negotiations to achieve a progressively 
higher level of liberalization and to provide e ffective market access and in response to requests 
received from Members the United Arab Emirates  (UAE) proposes the following new commitments 
on trade in services provided for in Article XIX of  the General Agreement on Trade in Services 
(GATS) and pursuant to Paragraph 15 of the Doha Ministerial Declara tion. This cover sheet should be 
regarded as forming an integral part  of UAE’s initial conditional offer. 
 2. Consistent with GATS Article I.3(b) and (c), this offer applies only to services open to private 
sector participants, and does not include the right to acquire or invest in government monopolies 
supplying services included within any of the sectors or  sub-sectors covered by this offer. This offer 
cannot be construed as offering in any way the priva tization of public undertakings or as preventing 
UAE from regulating public and private services in order to meet national policy objectives.    3. Under these proposed new GATS obligations, as under current obligations, the United Arab 
Emirates will continue to be able to establish, ma intain, and fully enforce its domestic laws protecting, 
inter alia, consumers, health, safety, and the environment. 
 4. The United Arab Emirates reserves the right to  withdraw, modify, or reduce this offer, in 
whole or in part, at any time on or prior to the cl osure of the negotiations if offers made by UAE’s 
negotiating partners in areas of interest to UAE in  the frame work of the Doha Development Agenda 
(DDA) are not satisfactory 
 5. The United Arab Emirates further reserves the right to make technical changes to this offer 
and to correct any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies.  6. This offer is based on the consolidated sch eduled of UAE (S/DCS/W/ ARE). The individual 
sectors and sub-sectors are identified in accordan ce with the classification list in Document 
MTN.GNS/W/120 and corresponding CPC numbers wherever possible.  TN/S/O/ARE 
Page 2 
 
 
 
7. The editorial conventions used in this in itial offer follow the guidelines established by the 
WTO Secretariat in JOB(05)/6, i.e.:   
BOLD  – New text 
STRIKE OUT 
– Deleted text 
ITALICS – Where any new or deleted  text constitutes merely a technical refinement that does not alter 
the scope or substance of an existing commitment.  
8.  Please direct any questions on this cond itional offer to the Economic Affairs and the 
International Cooperation Department in the Mini stry of Economy and Planning, or to the UAE 
Representative Office to the World Trade Organization in Geneva.   The Ministry of Economy and planning
 
Po Box 901, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates 
 Contact Person:
 
 H.E Abdulla Ahmed Al Saleh 
Under Secretary Assistant of Economic  Affairs & International Cooperation 
  Telephone: +971 2 6265229 Facsimile:  +971 2 6276333  E-mail: alsaleh@economy.ae 
 
UAE Representative Office to the World Trade Organization
 
PO Box Office of the United Arab Emirates to the World Trade Organization 50, rue de Moillebeau 1205 Geneva - Switzerland  Contact Person:
 
 
Obaid Saif Al Kendi Director Office of the United Arab Emirates to the WTO - Geneva Telephone: +41-22 869 00 05   
Facsimile:  +41-22 733 20 88 
E-mail: obaid.alkendi@uae2wto.ch 
   TN/S/O/ARE
 Page 3UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – INITIAL CONDITIONAL OFFER ON SERVICES  
Modes of supply: (1)  Cross-border (2)  Consumption abroad (3)  Commercial presence (4)  Presence of natural persons 
Sector or Sub-sector Limitations on Market Access Limitations on National Treatment Additional Commitments 
I. HORIZONTAL COMMITMENTS  
ALL SECTORS INCLUDED IN 
THIS SCHEDULE 3) Commercial presence will be through either : (i) 
a representative office or a branch with no 
limitations on the participation of foreign 
capital (foreign ownership of 100% is granted), provided that such office or branch appoints a UAE "services agent". The obligations of "services agent" shall be confined to rendering services i.e. issuing necessary licenses without requiring a share in the capital or interfering in the management; or 
(ii) an incorporation as a company with 
maximum foreign equity participation of 49% subject to UAE law. 
 
For some specific sectors and sub-sectors as 
indicated below, participation of foreign 
capital may be increased to 75% 
1 . 
Commercial presence for such sectors and sub-sectors is conditioned on benefits in the form of technology transfer, Research & Development programmes, technical assistance, and educational and training of local human resources.   (iii) Free zones: 100% foreign ownership is 
permitted in Free Zones . 
 3) (i)  Acquisition of land and real estate is not 
permitted to foreigners or to companies in which 
foreign nationals have a share holding. 
However, foreign companies authorized to 
carry on their activities in UAE may own land and real estate  only to the extent necessary to 
conduct their activities , in accordance with 
laws and regulations governing ownership of real estate at the Federal and Emirate levels.       
 
  (ii)  Foreign nationals or companies with foreign 
share holdings may be required to pay direct taxes on income derived from work or operations in the UAE, whereas local services suppliers or local UAE companies may not be required to pay 
similar taxes keeping in view the provisions of 
paragraph (d) of Article XIV. 
        (iii) Government subsidized services may only 
be extended to UAE nationals. 
  
                                                        
1 The Implementation of that commitment is subject to the adopti on and promulgation of the new Law on Companies, currently under  discussion in the Federal Council (The 
legislative body).   TN/S/O/ARE 
Page 4 Modes of supply: (1)  Cross-border (2)  Consumption abroad (3)  Commercial presence (4)  Presence of natural persons 
Sector or Sub-sector Limitations on Market Access Limitations on National Treatment Additional Commitments 
 4) Unbound except for measures concerning entry 
and temporary stay of natural persons who fall into one of the following categories: 
  (i) Business visitors
:  persons not based in  the 
territory of the UAE and receiving no remuneration from a source within the UAE, who visit the UAE on behalf of a service supplier for business negotiations (and not for selling services directly to the public) or for doing preparatory work for establishing 
commercial presence in the UAE.  Entry for 
persons in this category shall not be for more than ninety days. 
   
 (ii) Intra-corporate transferees : managers, 
executives and specialists (as defined below) who have been in the employment of a juridical person of another Member outside the UAE, for a period of not less than one year prior to the 
date of application for entry into the UAE and 
are being transferred to a branch or affiliate in the UAE of the aforesaid juridical person.  Entry will be subject to the following conditions:  - The work right for the 
spouses of intra-corporate transferees is granted according to the UAE labour laws.   
 
- Transparency: All 
disciplines concerning labour, residency and work permits laws are publicly available. (Hard copies of the laws, Web site of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs – www.mol.gov.ae – and Guide Book for foreign employees).   
   TN/S/O/ARE
 Page 5Modes of supply: (1)  Cross-border (2)  Consumption abroad (3)  Commercial presence (4)  Presence of natural persons 
Sector or Sub-sector Limitations on Market Access Limitations on National Treatment Additional Commitments 
  a) The number of managers, executives and 
specialists shall be limited to 50% of the total number of managers, executives and specialists of each service supplier. 
 
b)  Their entry shall be for a period of one year 
subject  to renewal for two additional years with 
a maximum of three years.  Three years, 
renewable for additional periods.  
c)  Their stay in the UAE will be subject to UAE 
labour and immigration laws.    
 Definitions : 
 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 recommend hiring, firing, or other personnel 
actions (such as promotion or leave authorization), 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 provision of the service.   
 Executives :  persons within an organization, who 
primarily direct the management of the organisation, establish the goals and policies of the organisation, exercise wide latitude in decision making, and receive only general supervision or direction from higher-level executives, the board of directors or stockholders of the business.  Executives would not directly perform tasks related to the actual provision of service or 
services of the organization. 
    TN/S/O/ARE 
Page 6 Modes of supply: (1)  Cross-border (2)  Consumption abroad (3)  Commercial presence (4)  Presence of natural persons 
Sector or Sub-sector Limitations on Market Access Limitations on National Treatment Additional Commitments 
 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.     TN/S/O/ARE
 Page 7 
Modes of supply: (5)  Cross-border (6)  Consumption abroad (7)  Commercial presence (8)  Presence of natural persons 
Sector or Sub-sector Limitations on Market Access Limitations on National Treatment Additional Commitments 
II. SECTOR-SPECIFIC COMMITMENTS  
1. BUSINESS SERVICES 
 A. Professional Services
 
 
a) Legal services (CPC 861) 
   (Legal Advisory services)  
 
           b) Accounting, auditing and 
book-keeping services 
 (CPC 862) 
c) Taxation services:  the 
following: 
 - Business tax planning and 
consulting  
 (CPC - 86301)  
 
  
  
1) None 
2) None 
3) Participation of foreign capital limited to 
75%
1 
 
4) Unbound, except as indicated in the 
horizontal section 
 
 
 1) None  2) None 
 
3) None
 
 Participation of foreign capital limited to 
75% 
 
4) Unbound, except as indicated in the horizontal 
section 
  
   
1) None 
 2) None 
 
3) Non-UAE lawyers cannot plead in UAE 
courts, or act before official bodies, or 
perform notarial functions.  
 4) Unbound, except as indicated in the horizontal 
section 
 
    1) None  2) None 
 
3) None , except as indicated in the horiz
ontal 
section  
  4) Unbound, except as indicated in the horizontal 
section  
                                                        
1 N.B: The UAE offer regarding legal services takes the legal form of a pre-commitment. The commitments as described above will b e implemented only after the completion of a transitional period of five years 
i.e. until 31 Dec 2010.   TN/S/O/ARE 
Page 8 Modes of supply: (5)  Cross-border (6)  Consumption abroad (7)  Commercial presence (8)  Presence of natural persons 
Sector or Sub-sector Limitations on Market Access Limitations on National Treatment Additional Commitments 
- Business tax preparation and 
review services  (CPC - 86302) 
 
d) Architectural services 
 (CPC 8671)  e) Engineering Services  (CPC 8672)  g) Urban planning and 
landscape services  
 (CPC - 8674)  i) Veterinary services   (CPC - 9320) 
    
B. Computer and Related 
Services  
 
a) Consultancy services related 
to the installation of computer hardware  
 (CPC - 841)  b) Software implementation 
services  
 (CPC - 842)  c) Data processing services  
(CPC - 843) 
 d) Data base services 
 (CPC - 844)  
  
1) None 
 2) None  3) None
 
 Participation of foreign capital limited to 
75% 
 
4) Unbound, except as indicated in the horizontal 
section  
  
1) None 
 2) None  3) None , except as indicated in the horizonta
l 
section  
  
 
4) Unbound, except as indicated in the horizontal 
section    TN/S/O/ARE
 Page 9Modes of supply: (5)  Cross-border (6)  Consumption abroad (7)  Commercial presence (8)  Presence of natural persons 
Sector or Sub-sector Limitations on Market Access Limitations on National Treatment Additional Commitments 
C. Research and Development 
Services  
 a) R & D services on natural 
science  
 (CPC - 851)  b) R & D services on social 
science and humanities (CPC - 852) 
 
c) Interdisciplinary R & D 
services (CPC - 853)  
 1)  None 
2)  None 
3)  
None  
 Participation of foreign capital limited to   
 75%  
4)  Unbound, except as indicated in the horizontal 
section  
 1) None 
 2) None  3) None   4) Unbound, except as indicated in the horizontal 
section  
E. Rental and Leasing Services 
without Operators (CPC 831)  
 (Excluding leasing services 
relating to cars) a) Relating to ships 
 CPC 83103 
 
c) Relating to other transport 
equipment 8301 + 83102 + 83105 
 
d) Relating to other 
machinery and equipment 
 CPC 83106 – 83109  
   1)  None 
 
2)  None 
 3)  Participation of foreign capital 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    TN/S/O/ARE 
Page 10 Modes of supply: (5)  Cross-border (6)  Consumption abroad (7)  Commercial presence (8)  Presence of natural persons 
Sector or Sub-sector Limitations on Market Access Limitations on National Treatment Additional Commitments 
F. Other Business Services   
 a) Advertising services  (CPC 871)  s) Convention services 
 (CPC 87909) 
  1) None 
 2) None  3) None
 
 Participation of foreign capital limited to 49%  
 
4) Unbound, except as indicated in the horizontal 
section 1) None 
 2) None  3) None , except as indicated in the horizontal
 
section  
 
4) Unbound, except as indicated in the horizontal 
section  
 
 b) Market research services  
(CPC - 864) 
 c) Management consulting 
services  
 (CPC 8650)  e) Technical testing and 
analysis services  
 (CPC - 8676) 
 
t) Translation and 
Interpretation Services 
(CPC 87905 )  
1) None 
 2) None  3) None
 
 Participation of foreign capital limited to 
75%  
 
4) Unbound, except as indicated in the horizontal 
section 
  
1) None 
 2) None  3) None , except as indicated in the horizontal 
section  
 
 
4) Unbound, except as indicated in the horizontal 
section  
2. COMMUNICATION 
SERVICES 
 
A. Postal services  
(transportation of Documents, Letter Posts, and Parcels CPC 7511) 
 
B. Courier Services
 
 (CPC 7512)  
  1) None  2) None  3) None
 
 Participation of foreign capital limited to 49% 
 
4) Unbound except as indicated in the horizontal 
section  
  1) None  2) None  3) None , except as indicated in the horizontal 
section  
  
4) Unbound, except as indicated in the horizontal 
section    TN/S/O/ARE
 Page 11Modes of supply: (5)  Cross-border (6)  Consumption abroad (7)  Commercial presence (8)  Presence of natural persons 
Sector or Sub-sector Limitations on Market Access Limitations on National Treatment Additional Commitments 
C. Telecommunication 
Services  
    
General conditions:  The commitments taken are based on the scheduling principles pr ovided by the following documents: “Notes for scheduling Basic Telecom Services 
Commitments (S/GBT/W/2/Rev.1) and “Market Access Limitations on Spectrum Availability” (S/GBT/W/3). 
 The UAE commitments are based on the UAE TELECOM Law and TRA (Tel ecommunication Regulatory Authority) regulatory framework. 
 The UAE undertakes commitments as contained in the te lecommunications reference paper, included in Annex A. 
 Any network installed in UAE must be operated by a company regist ered in UAE, the foreign equity of which shall be limited to 4 9%. 
 This schedule on basic telecommunication does not include any broadcasting services1 according to the UAE TELECOM and the TRA regulatory framework on 
different issues including but not limited to the spectrum license ( UAE ). 
 
a. Voice telephone services 
(CPC 7521)   b. Packet-switched data transmission services  (CPC 7523**)  c. Circuit-switched data transmission services (CPC 7523**)  d. Telex services (CPC 7523**)  e. Telegraph services 
(CPC 7522**) 
 f.  Facsimile services (CPC 7521** + 7529**)  g. Private leased circuit services (CPC 7522** + 7523**)  h. Electronic mail (CPC 7523**)  i.  Voice mail (CPC 7523**)  1) Only companies with commercial presence 
may provide telecom services. 
 2)  Residents are allowed to purchase telecom 
services in the territory of any member according to the regulatory framework in the UAE and in the territory of that member. 
3)   a) Duopoly until 31 Dec 2015. 
  b) Starting no later than Dec 2015, the TRA 
will consider the feasibility of the suppliers additional to the duopoly. The commercial presence is required and 
subject to 49% foreign equity limitation. 
 
4)  Unbound, except as indicated in the 
horizontal section. 
 1) None, except as indicated in the market 
access column 
 2) None, except as indicated in the market 
access column 
    3) None 
    
 
 4) Unbound, except as indicated in the 
horizontal section  
  
                                                        
1 “Broadcasting service” is defined as a radio communication service in which the transmissions are intended for direct reception  by the general public, including sound transmissions, television transmissions or 
other types of transmissions.  In UAE TELECOM law, like many other countries, broadcasting is not part of basic telecommunicati on services.   TN/S/O/ARE 
Page 12 Modes of supply: (5)  Cross-border (6)  Consumption abroad (7)  Commercial presence (8)  Presence of natural persons 
Sector or Sub-sector Limitations on Market Access Limitations on National Treatment Additional Commitments 
j.  On-line information and 
database retrieval (CPC 7523**)   k. Electronic data interchange (EDI) (CPC 7523)   l. Enhanced/value-added facsimile services, incl. store and forward, store and retrieve (CPC 7523**) 
 
m. Code and protocol conversion (n.a.) 
 
   TN/S/O/ARE
 Page 13Modes of supply: (5)  Cross-border (6)  Consumption abroad (7)  Commercial presence (8)  Presence of natural persons 
Sector or Sub-sector Limitations on Market Access Limitations on National Treatment Additional Commitments 
3. CONSTRUCTION AND 
RELATED ENGINEERING SERVICES 
 
A. General Construction Work 
for Building  
 (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
 
 Unbound* 
 
2) None  3) None
 
 Participation of foreign capital limited to 49%  
 
4) Unbound except as indicated in the horizontal 
section  
    1) None
 
 Unbound* 
 
2) None  3) None , except as indicated in the horizontal 
section  
 4) Unbound, except as indicated in the horizontal 
section  
6. ENVIRONMENTAL 
SERVICES 
 
A. Sewage Services  
 (CPC 9401) 
 
B. Refuse Disposal Services  
 (CPC 9402) 
 
C. Sanitation and Similar 
Services  
 (CPC 9403) 
D. Other  1) None 
 2) None  3) None
 
 Participation of foreign capital limited to 49%  
 
 4) Unbound except as indicated in the horizontal 
section 1) None 
 2) None  3) None , except as indicated in the horizontal 
section  
  
 
4) Unbound, except as indicated in the horizontal 
section  
                                                        
* Unbound Due to lack of technical feasibility   
 
  TN/S/O/ARE 
Page 14 Modes of supply: (5)  Cross-border (6)  Consumption abroad (7)  Commercial presence (8)  Presence of natural persons 
Sector or Sub-sector Limitations on Market Access Limitations on National Treatment Additional Commitments 
7.  FINANCIAL SERVICES    
A. INSURANCE AND 
INSURANCE RELATED 
SERVICES  
    
General conditions:  
 
 The absence of any limitation on the ability of a service consum er in UAE to purchase the service in the territory of another m ember does not signify a commitment to 
allow a non-resident service supplier to solicit business or  to conduct active marketing in the territory of UAE.  
 Commercial presence is subject to the provisions regarding the licensing and registration of foreign companies as contained in the UAE pertinent laws 
 Within the context of paragraph 2 (a) of the Annex on Financial services UAE shall not be preven ted from taking measures for pr udential reasons such as minimum 
capital requirement; minimum operating funds re quirement and approval for business activities. 
 
 
(i) Direct insurance 
 
a) Life and health 
insurance services (CPC 81211 and CPC 81212) (excluding pension fund management.) 
 
 b) Non- life insurance 
services (including accident insurance (CPC 8129)
 
 
 
  
1) Commercial presence is required.  
2) Unbound   
 3) - Transparent and non discriminatory 
Economic Needs Test shall apply to the commercial presence for branches of the new foreign insurance companies as well as of the existing foreign insurance companies. 
 - The establishment of joint ventures with 
UAE life and non-life insurance companies is not allowed.   
 4) Unbound, except as indicated in the 
horizontal section.  
  
1) Commercial presence is required      
 
2) Unbound 
 3) None 
        4) Unbound, except as indicated in the horizontal 
section.     TN/S/O/ARE
 Page 15Modes of supply: (5)  Cross-border (6)  Consumption abroad (7)  Commercial presence (8)  Presence of natural persons 
Sector or Sub-sector Limitations on Market Access Limitations on National Treatment Additional Commitments 
(ii) Reinsurance and 
retrocession  
   (CPC 81299)  1) None  
 2) None 
 3) Participation of foreign capital 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. 
   
(iii) Insurance intermediation: 
  Brokers dealing with 
 Direct Insurance1  
 (CPC 8140**) 
 1), 2) Commercial presence is required   3) Participation of foreign capital limited to 
49% 
 4) Unbound, except as indicated in the 
horizontal section 
 1), 2) None, expect as indicated in the Market 
access column 
3) None 
4) Unbound, except as indicated in the horizontal 
section.  
iv) Services auxiliary to 
insurance    
- Insurance 
 consultancy 
  (CPC 81402)  1), 2) Commercial presence is required. 
 3) Participation of foreign capital limited to 
49% 
 4) Unbound, except as indicated in horizontal 
section. 
 1), 2) Commercial presence is required 
 3) None   4) Unbound, except as indicated in horizontal 
section.  
                                                        
1 For greater certainty “Direct Insurance” means: Life and health insurance services (CPC 81211 and CPC 81212) (excluding pension  fund management.) and Non- life insurance services (including accident 
insurance (CPC 8129).       
  TN/S/O/ARE 
Page 16 Modes of supply: (5)  Cross-border (6)  Consumption abroad (7)  Commercial presence (8)  Presence of natural persons 
Sector or Sub-sector Limitations on Market Access Limitations on National Treatment Additional Commitments 
- Actuarial services 
 (CPC 81404) 1) Foreign service supplier must be registered  
at the UAE Ministry of Economy and Planning 
 2) None  3) Participation of foreign capital limited to 
49%  
4) Unbound, except as indicated in the 
horizontal section. 1) None, expect as indicated in the Market 
access column 
  2) None   3) None   4) Unbound, except as indicated in the 
horizontal section. 
  
- Loss Adjustment, risk 
assessment and claim settlement  services  
 (CPC 81403) 1), 2) Commercial presence is required.  
 3) Participation of foreign capital limited to 
49% 
 4) Unbound, except as indicated in the 
horizontal section. 
 
 1), 2) Commercial presence is required.  
 3) None   4) Unbound, except as indicated in the 
horizontal section.  
B. Banking and Other 
Financial Services  
  Items a) to l) but not 
including item  j) (Settlement and clearing services for financial assets)  
1) None  2) None  3) (i) No limitations for establishment of 
representative offices;   
 (ii) Unbound for new licences for operating bank 
branches; 
 (iii) Unbound for the expansion of activities of 
existing financial entities. 
 4) Unbound except as indicated in the horizontal 
section.  
1) None  2) None  3) None       4) Unbound, except as indicated in the horizontal 
    TN/S/O/ARE
 Page 17Modes of supply: (5)  Cross-border (6)  Consumption abroad (7)  Commercial presence (8)  Presence of natural persons 
Sector or Sub-sector Limitations on Market Access Limitations on National Treatment Additional Commitments 
9. TOURISM AND TRAVEL 
RELATED SERVICES 
 A. Hotels and Restaurants
 
 (CPC 641-643)  C. Travel Guide Services
 
 (CPC 7472) 1) None 
 2) None  3) None
 
 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 
  
11. TRANSPORT 
SERVICES  
A.  Maritime transport 
services  : 
  a. Passenger  transportation   (CPC 7211)   b. Freight transportation 
 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   
ENERGY SERVICES  
 
Services incidental to mining (CPC 883) including the following activities: - On land Site preparation  - On land rig installation - Drilling - Drilling bits services - Casing and tubular services - Mud engineering and supply - Solids control - Fishing  and downhole special operations  
- Wellsite geology and drilling 
control - Core taking  - Well testing  - Wireline services - Supply and operation of completion fluids (brines) - Supply and installation of  
 1) Unbound 
 2) Unbound 
 3) Unbound 
 4) Unbound  
 1) Unbound 
 2) Unbound 
 3) Unbound 
 4) Unbound   TN/S/O/ARE 
Page 18 Modes of supply: (5)  Cross-border (6)  Consumption abroad (7)  Commercial presence (8)  Presence of natural persons 
Sector or Sub-sector Limitations on Market Access Limitations on National Treatment Additional Commitments 
completion devices  
- Cementing (pressure pumping) - Stimulation services (fracturing, acidising and pressure pumping) - Workover and well repair services - Plugging and abandoning of wells 
 
 
       TN/S/O/ARE
 Page 19UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - FINAL LIST  OF ARTICLE II (MFN) EXEMPTIONS  
 
 
Sector or Sub-sector Description of measure indicating 
its inconsistency with Article II Countries to which the measure 
applies Intended duration Condition s creating the need for 
the exemption 
All Sectors Preferential treatment for service 
suppliers of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries and (GAFTA) Great Arabian Free Trade Area GCC countries 
GAFTA countries Indefinite GCC & GAFTA regional 
arrangement and eventual economic integration in the area of services. 
 Financial Services  
Authorization for the entry/establishment/operation of foreign financial se rvices suppliers 
(including banks and insurance companies) and the opening of new branches will be subject to the decision of competent authorities.  
All countries  
Indefinite  
UAE is a small market and is already saturated.  Preferential treatment, on a case-by-case basis, may have to be accorded in order to get mutually advantageous benefits for UAE. 
 
 
 
 
    TN/S/O/ARE 
Page 20  
 
24 April 1996  
 
ANNEX A  
 
Negotiating group on basic telecommunications  
 
The Reference Paper  
 
 
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 feasibly be economically or tec hnically substituted in order to provide a 
service.   
 A major supplier 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 th e purpose of preventing suppliers who, alone or 
together, are a major supplier from engaging in or continuing anti-competitive practices.    1.2 Safeguards   
 
The anti-competitive practices referred to a bove shall include in particular:   
 
(a) engaging in anti-competitive cross-subsidization;   
 
(b) using information obtained from competito rs with anti-competitive results; and   
 
(c) not making available to other services suppliers on a timely basis technical information about essential facilities and comme rcially relevant information which are 
necessary for them to provide services. 
    
 
 TN/S/O/ARE 
Page 21 
 
 
 
2. Interconnection  
 
2.1 This section applies to linking with suppliers  providing public telecommunications transport 
networks or services in order to allow the user s of one supplier to communicate with users of 
another supplier and to access services provided by another supplier, where specific commitments are undertaken.    2.2 Interconnection to be ensured   
 
Interconnection with a major supplier will be ensu red at any technically feasible point in the 
network.  Such interconnection is provided.    
(a) under non-discriminatory terms, conditi ons (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-a ffiliated service suppliers or for its 
subsidiaries or other affiliates;    (b) in a timely fashion, on terms, cond itions (including technical standards and 
specifications) and cost-oriented rates that ar e 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 procedur es for interconnection negotiations   
 The procedures applicable for interconnecti on 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 wh ich 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.   
  
 
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 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 regard ed as anti-competitive per se, provided they are 
administered in a transparent, non-discriminatory and competitively neutral manner and are not more burdensome than necessary for the kind of universal service defined by the Member.   
  
4. Public availability of licensing criteria   
 Where a licence 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 application for a licence; and   
(b) the terms and conditions of  individual licences.  The reasons for the denial of a 
licence 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, numbers 
and rights of way, will be carried out in an objective, timely, transparent and non-discriminatory manner. The current state of a llocated frequency bands will be made publicly 
available, but detailed identification of frequenc ies allocated for specific government uses is not 
required. 
 
 
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