WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONS/L/96
11 June 2001
(01-2914)
Council for Trade in Services Original:  French
CERTIFICATION
Schedule of Specific Commitments in Basic Telecommunications
of Brazil
Notification of Objection from the European Communities
and their Member States
The following communication has been received from the delegation of the European
Communities and their member States concerning the certification of Brazil's Schedule of Specific
Commitments in Basic Telecommunications (S/C/W/191).
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The European Communities and their member States have, from the outset, supported the
process of opening up Brazil's telecommunications sector to competition and establishing a regulatory
framework for it.  The European Communities and their member States therefore attached great
importance to Brazil's participation in the negotiations on basic telecommunications in order to fulfil
its desire to consolidate this process through WTO commitments under the General Agreement on
Trade and Services.
Nevertheless, the offer submitted by Brazil in document S/C/W/191 raises a systemic problem
for the European Communities and their member States, inasmuch as it introduces legal uncertainty
vis-à-vis  foreign investment, which is furthermore contrary to what was initially negotiated.  The
European Communities and their member States are therefore unable to accept the offer as it stands.
The European Communities and their member States are ready to hold talks with Brazil with a view to
finding a satisfactory solution as rapidly as possible.
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