A method of configuring quality of service for a return path of a bi-directional label switched path within a network , the bi-directional label switched path having a forward path and the return path , the method comprising the steps of: configuring a label information context for a quality of service configuration of the return path of the bi-directional label switched path separate from a quality of service configuration for the forward path ; forming a path set up message containing a return path quality of service object indicating the quality of service configuration for the return path separately from the quality of service configuration for the forward path ; and sending the path set up message containing the return path quality of service object to a network node in the bi-directional label switched path, wherein the path set up message enables a plurality of quality of service classes to be supported by the bi-directional label switched path, and wherein the return path quality of service object , included in the path set up message , comprises: at least one field indicating a number of one or more entries being included for each quality of service class to be supported by the bi-directional label switched path, each entry of the one or more entries comprising a reserved field , an experimental field , and a per hop behaviour identification ; and the one or more entries , each entry of the one or more entries defining a mapping, for the return path , between the experimental field and a per hop behaviour associated with the per hop behaviour identification , such that the quality of service configuration for the forward path is specified separately from the quality of service configuration for the return path . configuring a label information context for a quality of service configuration of the return path of the bi-directional label switched path separate from a quality of service configuration for the forward path ; forming a path set up message containing a return path quality of service object indicating the quality of service configuration for the return path separately from the quality of service configuration for the forward path ; and sending the path set up message containing the return path quality of service object to a network node in the bi-directional label switched path, wherein the path set up message enables a plurality of quality of service classes to be supported by the bi-directional label switched path, and wherein the return path quality of service object , included in the path set up message , comprises: at least one field indicating a number of one or more entries being included for each quality of service class to be supported by the bi-directional label switched path, each entry of the one or more entries comprising a reserved field , an experimental field , and a per hop behaviour identification ; and the one or more entries , each entry of the one or more entries defining a mapping, for the return path , between the experimental field and a per hop behaviour associated with the per hop behaviour identification , such that the quality of service configuration for the forward path is specified separately from the quality of service configuration for the return path . at least one field indicating a number of one or more entries being included for each quality of service class to be supported by the bi-directional label switched path, each entry of the one or more entries comprising a reserved field , an experimental field , and a per hop behaviour identification ; and the one or more entries , each entry of the one or more entries defining a mapping, for the return path , between the experimental field and a per hop behaviour associated with the per hop behaviour identification , such that the quality of service configuration for the forward path is specified separately from the quality of service configuration for the return path . <EOS>