RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE WT/ACC/SPEC/VUT/3/Rev.1
12December 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-5449)
Original: English Working Party onthe
Accession ofVanuatu
ACCESSION OFVANUATU
Initial Offer onServices
Revision
TheDepartment ofEconomic Affairs oftheGovernment ofVanuatu hassubmitted thefollowing
revised initial offeronservices, withtherequest thatitbecirculated tomembers oftheWorking Party.
_______________WT/ACC/SPEC/VUT/3/Rev.1
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**
bytheBusiness 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].
*Thecolumn entitled "Relevant Laws andRegulations" isprovided forinformation purposes onlyanddoesnotconstitute abinding orcommitment by
theGovernment ofVanuatu tothese laws.
**TheGovernment ofVanuatu currently requires aminimum ofVT5million investment inorder toobtain abusiness licence.WT/ACC/SPEC/VUT/3/Rev.1
Page3Modes ofSupply Measures Relevant Laws andRegulations
(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.
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 Persons1)Supply must bethrough adomestic law
firm
2)None
3)Commercial presence must taketheform of
soleproprietorship orpartnership
4)Unbound except asindicated inhorizontal
section
(b)Accounting, auditing andbookkeeping
services (CPC 862)
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons1)None
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal sectionAudit ofPublic Accounts [Cap.165]WT/ACC/SPEC/VUT/3/Rev.1
Page4Modes ofSupply Measures Relevant Laws andRegulations
(c)Architectural services (CPC 8671)
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons1)None
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
d)Engineering Services (CPC 8672)
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons1)None
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal sectionLand 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 Persons1)Unbound*
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
2.General construction forcivilengineering
(CPC 513)
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons1)Unbound except where resources and
materials arenotavailable locally
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
*Unbound duetolackoftechnical feasibility.WT/ACC/SPEC/VUT/3/Rev.1
Page5Modes ofSupply Measures Relevant Laws andRegulations
V.EDUCATIONAL SERVICES
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons1)None
2)None
3)Inconsultation withtheDepartment of
Education
4)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
VI.ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons1)None
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
VII.FINANCIAL SERVICES
1.Allinsurance andrelated services
(CPC 812)
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons1)None
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inhorizontal
sectionInsurance 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 Persons1)None
2)None
3)Banks must comply withprovisions of
relevant banking legislation
4)Unbound except asindicated inhorizontal
sectionBanking 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/Rev.1
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 Persons1)None
2)None
3)None except inrural areas andindirect
competition withvillage hotels
4)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal sectionHotel andLicensed Premises TaxAct[Cap.141]WT/ACC/SPEC/VUT/3/Rev.1
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 Licence 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 Persons1)Refer entry onmarket access
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inhorizontal sectionLegal Practitioners Act[Cap.119]
Partnership Act[Cap.92]
2.Accounting, auditing and
bookkeeping services (CPC 862)
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons1)None
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inthehorizontal sectionAudit ofPublic Accounts Act[Cap.165]WT/ACC/SPEC/VUT/3/Rev.1
Page8Modes ofSupply Measures Relevant Laws andRegulations
(c)Architectural services (CPC 8671)
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons1)None
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inthehorizontal sectionLand 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 Persons1)None
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inthehorizontal section
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 Persons1)Unbound*
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inthehorizontal section
2.General Construction forCivil
engineering (CPC 513)
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons1)Unbound except where resources andmaterials arenot
available locally
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inthehorizontal section
*Unbound duetolackoftechnical feasibility.WT/ACC/SPEC/VUT/3/Rev.1
Page9Modes ofSupply Measures Relevant Laws andRegulations
V.EDUCATIONAL SERVICES
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons1)None
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inthehorizontal section
VI.ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons1)None
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inthehorizontal section
VII.FINANCIAL SERVICES
1.AllInsurance andrelated services
(CPC 812)
1)Cross border supply
2)Consumption abroad
3)Commercial Presence
4)Presence ofNatural Persons1)None
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inhorizontal sectionInsurance 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 Persons1)None
2)None
3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inhorizontal sectionBanking 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];WT/ACC/SPEC/VUT/3/Rev.1
Page10Modes 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 Persons1)None
2)None
3)None except inrural areas andindirect competition with
village hotels
4)Unbound except asindicated inthehorizontal sectionWT/ACC/SPEC/VUT/3/Rev.1
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
services.
TheGovernment ofVanuatu reserves therighttopasslegislation in
regards tothecultural orlinguistic content ofbroadcasts andaudio-visual
products thatwould protect themultilingual andcultural nature ofthe
country andhence maylimitMFN treatment intherespective sectors in
future.Business 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.