WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONS/L/70
28 April 1999
(99-1717)
Trade in Services
DECISION ON DOMESTIC REGULATION
Adopted by the Council for Trade in Services on 26 April 1999
The Council for Trade in Services,
Acting  pursuant to Article IV of the Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization
and Article XXIV of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS),
Having regard to  paragraph 4 of Article VI of the GATS,
Having regard to  the Decision on Professional Services adopted by the Council on
1 March 1995 (S/L/3),
Having regard to  the Decision on Disciplines relating to the Accountancy Sector adopted by
the Council on 14 December 1998 (S/L/63),
Recognising the importance of domestic regulation in pursuing national policy objectives,
Desiring to  ensure that measures relating to domestic regulation do not constitute unnecessary
barriers to trade in services,
Decides as follows,
1. A Working Party on Domestic Regulation shall be established and the Working Party on
Professional Services shall cease to exist.
2. In accordance with paragraph 4 of Article VI of the GATS, the Working Party shall develop
any necessary disciplines to ensure that measures relating to licensing requirements and procedures,
technical standards and qualification requirements and procedures do not constitute unnecessary
barriers to trade in services.  This shall also encompass the tasks assigned to the Working Party onProfessional Services, including the development of general disciplines for professional services as
required by paragraph 2 of the Decision on Disciplines Relating to the Accountancy Sector (S/L/63).
3. In fulfilling its tasks the Working Party shall develop generally applicable disciplines and
may develop disciplines as appropriate for individual sectors or groups thereof.
4. The Working Party shall report to the Co uncil with recommendations no later than the
conclusion of the forthcoming round of services negotiations.
_____________