RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE WT/ACC/SPEC/VUT/3
3November 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-4790)
Original: English Working Party onthe
Accession ofVanuatu
ACCESSION OFVANUATU
Initial Offer onServices
TheDepartment ofEconomic Affairs oftheGovernment ofVanuatu hassubmitted thefollowing
initial offeronservices, withtherequest thatitbecirculated tomembers oftheWorking Party. Based
onconsultations withMembers, arevised offeriscurrently being prepared andwillbecirculated shortly.
_______________WT/ACC/SPEC/VUT/3
Page2REPUBLIC OFVANUATU
Information tobeProvided onPolicy Measures Affecting Trade inServices
Table I:Measures Relating toMarket Access
Modes ofSupply Measures Relevant Laws andRegulations
A. HORIZONTAL COMMITMENTS
(3) Commercial Presence 3)
(a)Normal government approval and
registration isrequired forallforeign
investors andreceipt ofBusiness Licence by
theBusiness Licence Committee. The
following criteria areingeneral, applied:
(i) improvement intheproductive
capacity oftheeconomy;
(ii) provision ofnewproduct orservice;
(iii) implications foremployment in
Vanuatu.
(new investment criteria arebeing
developed andwillbenotified oncepassed
through parliament)
(b)Subject tocertification bytherespective
authority agencies andboards.
(c)Financial services
Subject toapproval ofgovernment andthe
Reserve Bank ofVanuatu/Financial Services
Commission.Business Licence Act[Cap.173] asamended;
Immigration Act[Cap.66] asamended;
Citizenship Act[Cap.112];
Labour (Work Permits) Act[Cap.187];
Companies Act[Cap.191] asamended;
International Companies ActNo.32of1992;
Trust Companies Act[Cap.69].
(4)Presence ofNatural Persons 4)Unbound except formeasures affecting the
entry andtemporary stayofnatural persons
withmanagerial andtechnical skills which
areinshort supply inVanuatu andfall
within thefollowing categories:
(i) business managers;
(ii) intracorporate transferees;
(iii) professionals under service contract.WT/ACC/SPEC/VUT/3
Page3Modes ofSupply Measures Relevant Laws andRegulations
B.SPECIFIC SERVICE SECTOR ORSUB-SECTOR
I.BUSINESS SERVICES
1.Professional services
(a)Legal services, home &hostcountry law,
including international law(CPC 861)Legal Practitioners Act[Cap.119];
Partnership Act[Cap.92];
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons
5)Relationship between modes ofsupply1)None, other thanthatsupply must be
through adomestic lawfirm
2)None
3)None, other thancommercial presence must
taketheform ofsoleproprietorship or
partnership
4)Unbound except asindicated inhorizontal
section
5)Unbound except where owner-manager is
granted abusiness license aresidence
permit willalsobegranted
(b)Accounting, auditing andbookkeeping
services (CPC 862)
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons
5)Relationship between modes ofsupply1)None
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
5)Unbound except where owner-manager is
granted abusiness licence aresidence
permit willalsobegrantedAudit ofPublic Accounts [Cap.165]WT/ACC/SPEC/VUT/3
Page4Modes ofSupply Measures Relevant Laws andRegulations
(c)Architectural services (CPC 8671)
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons
5)Relationship between modes ofsupply1)None
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
5)Unbound
d)Engineering Services (CPC 8672)
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons
5)Relationship between modes ofsupply1)None
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
5)UnboundLand Surveyors Act[Cap.175];
Maritime Act[Cap.131].
III.CONSTRUCTION AND RELATED ENGINEERING SERVICES
1.General construction work forbuildings
(CPC 512)
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons
5)Relationship between modes ofsupply1)Unbound*
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
5)Unbound
*Unbound duetolackoftechnical feasibility.WT/ACC/SPEC/VUT/3
Page5Modes ofSupply Measures Relevant Laws andRegulations
2.General construction forcivilengineering
(CPC 513)
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons
5)Relationship between modes ofsupply1)Unbound except where resources and
materials arenotavailable locally
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
5)Unbound
VII.FINANCIAL SERVICES
1.Allinsurance andrelated services
(CPC 812)
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons
5)Relationship between modes ofsupply1)None
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inhorizontal
schedule
5)UnboundInsurance Act[Cap.82];
Financial Services Commission Actof1992.
2.Banking andother related services
(CPC 811-813)
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons
5)Relationship between modes ofsupply1)None
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inhorizontal
schedule
5)UnboundBanking Act[Cap.63];
National Commercial Trading Bank ofVanuatu
Act46of1989;
Central Bank ofVanuatu Act[Cap.125];
Banking Regulation Actasamended ,Act41of
1989;
Reserve Bank ofVanuatu Act,No20,1989;
Vanuatu National Provident Fund Act
[Cap.189].WT/ACC/SPEC/VUT/3
Page6Modes ofSupply Measures Relevant Laws andRegulations
IX.TOURISM AND TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES
1.Hotels andRestaurants (including catering)
(CPC 641-643)
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons
5)Relationship between modes ofsupply1)None
2)None
3)None except inrural areas andindirect
competition withvillage hotels
4)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal system
5)UnboundHotel andLicensed Premises TaxAct[Cap.141]WT/ACC/SPEC/VUT/3
Page7Table II:Measures Relating toNational Treatment
Modes ofSupply Measures Relevant Laws andRegulations
A.HORIZONTAL COMMITMENTS
4)Presence ofNatural Persons 4)Unbound except asspecified under market access Business License Act[Cap.173] as
amended;
Immigration Act[Cap.66] asamended;
Citizenship Act[Cap.112];
Labour (Work Permits) Act[Cap.187];
Companies Act[Cap.191] asamended;
International Companies ActNo.32of
1992;
Trust Companies Act[Cap.69].
B.SPECIFIC SERVICES SECTOR ORSUB-SECTOR
I.BUSINESS SERVICES
1.Professional services
(a)Legal services, home &host
country law,including
international law(CPC 861)
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons
5)Relationship between modes of
supply1)None, other thanthatsupply must bethrough adomestic
lawfirm
2)None
3)None, other thancommercial presence must takethe
form ofsoleproprietorship orpartnership.
4)Unbound except asindicated inhorizontal section
5)UnboundLegal Practitioners Act[Cap.119]
Partnership Act[Cap.92]WT/ACC/SPEC/VUT/3
Page8Modes ofSupply Measures Relevant Laws andRegulations
2.Accounting, auditing and
bookkeeping services (CPC 862)
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons
5)Relationship between modes of
supply1)None
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inthehorizontal section
5)Unbound except where owner-manager isgranted a
business license aresidence permit willalsobegrantedAudit ofPublic Accounts Act[Cap.165]
(c)Architectural services (CPC 8671)
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons
5)Relationship between modes of
supply1)None
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inthehorizontal section
5)UnboundLand Surveyors Act[Cap.175];
Maritime Act[Cap.131].
(d)Engineering services (CPC 8672)
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons
5)Relationship between modes of
supply1)None
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inthehorizontal section
5)UnboundWT/ACC/SPEC/VUT/3
Page9Modes ofSupply Measures Relevant Laws andRegulations
III.CONSTRUCTION AND RELATED ENGINEERING SERVICES
1.General Construction work for
buildings (CPC 512)
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons
5)Relationship between modes of
supply1)Unbound*
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inthehorizontal section
5)Unbound
2.General Construction forCivil
engineering (CPC 513)
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons
5)Relationship between modes of
supply1)Unbound except where resources andmaterials arenot
available locally
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inthehorizontal section
5)Unbound
VII.FINANCIAL SERVICES
1.AllInsurance andrelated services
(CPC 812)
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons
5)Relationship between modes of
supply1)None
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inhorizontal schedule
5)UnboundInsurance Act[Cap.82];
Financial Services Commission Actof1992.
*Unbound duetolackoftechnical feasibility.WT/ACC/SPEC/VUT/3
Page10Modes ofSupply Measures Relevant Laws andRegulations
2.Banking andother related services
(CPC 811-813)
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons
5)Relationship between modes of
supply1)None
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inhorizontal schedule
5)UnboundBanking Act[Cap.63];
National Commercial Trading Bank of
Vanuatu ActNo.46of1989;
Central Bank ofVanuatu Act[Cap.125];
Banking Regulation ActNo.41of1989 as
amended;
Reserve Bank ofVanuatu ActNo.20of
1989;
Vanuatu National Provident Fund Act
[Cap.189];
IX.TOURISM AND TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES
1.Hotels andRestaurants (including
catering) (CPC 641-643)
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons
5)Relationship between modes of
supply1)None
2)None
3)None except inrural areas andindirect competition with
village hotels
4)Unbound except asindicated inthehorizontal system
5)UnboundWT/ACC/SPEC/VUT/3
Page11Table 3:Measures Related toMost-Favoured-Nation Treatment (MFN)
Measures Relevant Laws &Regulations
A.HORIZONTAL COMMITMENTS
Depending upon theprogress made within theMelanesian Spearhead
Group*, members oftheGroup mayhaverecourse towaivers from
Article II(MFN) withrespect tonormal government approval and
registration forforeign investors andmeasures affecting theentry and
temporary stayofnatural persons. MSG members areintheprocess of
expanding links between thestates including thetrade ingoods and
servicesBusiness Licence Act[Cap.173] asamended;
Immigrations Act[Cap.66] asamended;
Citizenship Act[Cap.112];
Labour (Work Permits) Act[Cap.187];
Companies Act[Cap.191] asamended.
*TheMelanesian Spearhead Group currently includes Vanuatu, Solomon Islands andPapua New Guinea andmayinclude ,atafuture date, FijiandNew Caledonia.