./.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONS/CSS/9
15 October 2001
(01-5122)
Council for Trade in Services
Special Session
STATEMENT OF THE CHAIRMAN
OF THE COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN SERVICES TO THE GENERAL COUNCIL
12 October 2001
1. Since the last report to the General Council, the Council for Trade in Services in Special
Session held a formal meeting, on 5, 8 and 12 October 2001.
2. With respect to the assessment of trade in services, the Council asked the Secretariat to
prepare an outline of a symposium on the assessment of trade in services and a list of issues that
Members might wish to take into consideration when conducting their own assessment at the national
level.  The delegations of Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, India, Kenya, Pakistan, Peru, Uganda,
Venezuela and Zimbabwe introduced a joint submission on the assessment of trade in services,
contained in document S/CSS/W/114.
3. Under the item on the treatment of autonomous liberalization, Members discussed the
Secretariat note contained in document JOB(01)/141 which summarizes the views expressed on the
issues raised in previous discussions.  Many delegations stressed the need to move the discussion to
the next stage and Members were encouraged to submit proposals in that regard.
4. The Special Session of the Council also adopte d its Annual Report to the General Council, as
contained in document S/CSS/8.
5. Members then completed the second detailed discussion of the negotiating proposals
submitted to the Council.  At this meeting, they addr essed the horizontal issues identified (Article IV;
Article VII;  small and medium-sized suppliers;  MFN exemptions;  transparency and other aspects of
domestic regulation;  and classification) and the following services sectors:  education services,
energy services, transport services, tourism services, environmental services, financial services and
recreational services.
6. New proposals were tabled by Mexico (S/CSS/W /103);  by Bolivia, the Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru and Venezuela (S/CSS/W/107);  by the
Mercosur countries and Bolivia (S/CSS/W/108);  by Kenya (S/CSS/W/109);  by Australia
(S/CSS/W/110 to 112);  by Japan (S/CSS/W/ 42/Suppl.3); and by Brazil (S/CSS/W/113).
7. Members held a very comprehensive discussion, and comments were raised with respect to
different elements of the proposals.  Several Members submitted their questions and answers in
writing, and more were encouraged to do so.
8. As for the organization of further work, the Council planned its work for the December
session only, leaving the organization of further work to be decided upon at the end of that meeting, in
the light of the outcome of the Fourth Ministerial Conference.S/CSS/9
Page 2
9. Members decided that, at the December meeting, in addition to considering the standing items
on its agenda, the Council would discuss all negotiating proposals, in all sectors, mode 4 and other
horizontal issues.  In terms of sectoral coverage, the discussion would be similar to that of the May
meeting of the Council.  However, in  order for it to be qualitatively different, particularly in terms of
sharpening the focus on the important issues raised, Member agreed to organize it around a set ofitems.  These are:  classification issues;  market access and national treatment commitments;
regulatory issues;  issues relating to the implementation of Article IV;  and any other issues, including
MFN exemptions.  They will be used as a tool to structure Member's interventions on each of the
sectors, but delegations will not be invited to take the floor on each of them separately.
10. As in previous discussions, mode 4 will be taken up first, to be followed by sectors in the
order in which they appear in the sectoral classification list in document MTN.GNS/W/120.  As the
discussion of the other horizontal issues does not lend itself to being structured according to the itemsidentified, these will be taken up separately at the outset and not be discussed on that basis.  It was
underscored that this work plan was without prejudice to the submission of any new proposals.  The
Secretariat will also produce a supplement to the synopsis of proposals contained in JOB(01)/63,
Corr.1 and Add.1 to cover new proposals.
11. As the December meeting will unavoidably be a lengthy one, a minimum of four days will be
reserved for the Special Session of the Council in the week of 3 December.
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