. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
WT/REG275/2/Add.1 
29 June 2011 
 (11-3183) 
Committee on Regional Trade Agreements Original:   English 
  
 
ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT BETWEEN JAPAN AND VIET NAM  
(GOODS AND SERVICES) 
 
Questions and Replies 
 
Addendum 
 
  The following communication, dated 28 June 2011,  is being circulated at the request of the 
delegations of Japan and Viet Nam. 
 
 This document reproduces the questions addressed to the Parties and the responses submitted.  
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 Questions from the Delegation of Mexico 
 Provisions on Trade in services 
 
1. Could the Parties please let us know if the mentioned Annexes in the text are already 
negotiated, if not, when do you planned to negotiate them.  
 Article 72 stipulates that the parties shall re view commitments on trade in services within 
five years from the date of entry into force of  the Agreement, which may include negotiations on 
Annexes.  Both Parties have not started negotiatio n regarding each commitment after the entry into 
force of the Agreement in October 2008.  Liberalization Commitments 
 Viet Nam  
 2. In paragraph 112 it is indicated that Viet Nam's specific commitments in the Agreement 
reproduces its GATS Schedule, including transitional limitations in mode 3 market access on its 
sub-sectoral commitments.  We would like to know what significant meaning does this Agreement has for Viet Nam in terms of trade in services. 
Response from Viet Nam 
 
 The services commitments under EPA were ne gotiated basically during 2006-2007, at the 
same time when Viet Nam concluded her WTO accession commitments. It was the ever first time Viet Nam had opened her economy in general, services sectors in particular, in such a comprehensive 
and intensive manner.  Therefore, it is clear th at WTO commitments and then EPA commitments are 
very meaningful to Viet Nam.  Some commitments are even more competitive in comparison with some other WTO members. Accordingly, a number of WTO members, including Japan, extended WT/REG275/2/Add.1 
Page 2  
 
  Viet  Nam the status of very recently acceded Member (VRAM) and waiver of making further 
commitments during Doha negotiation. Similar WTO co mmitments in services were also accepted in 
other regional FTA where Viet Nam is a party. 
 
 - For market access, although Viet Nam's specific commitments in services reproduces 
 her GATS Schedule, it does increase pred ictability and certainty for services 
 suppliers from Japan and Viet Nam;  
  - The Agreement promotes transparency and trade facilitation, including trade in 
 services, for both Japan and Viet Nam's enterprises;  
 
 - Japan and Viet Nam agreed to incr ease cooperation activities, capacity building 
 programs in many areas as an integral part of the Agreement, which includes also  significant meaning for services sector.  
 
Regulatory Provisions 
 
Safeguards 
 3. In paragraph 119 it is mentioned that Article 73 permits the Parties to request 
consultations with the other Party for the purpo ses of applying emergency safeguard measures 
if implementation of the Agreement causes "subs tantial adverse impact" to a Party.  Could the 
Parties share with the Members what "substantial adverse impact" covers?  
 The existence/absence of "substantial adverse im pact" will be determined in the light of the 
circumstances of the case.  There have not  been any requests based on Article 73. 
 
 
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