  
  
S/C/N/100 8 
8 May 2020 
(20-3494) Page: 1/2 
Council for Trade in Services  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION PURSUANT TO ARTICLE III:3 OF THE  
GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TRADE IN SERVICES  
The following notification, dated  27 April  2020, from the delegation of the European Union , is being 
circulated to Members of the Council for Trade in Services . 
 
 
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The following notification is made pursuant to GATS Article III:3 and relates to measures adopted 
by the European Union in 2019. Given that there is no common understanding among WTO Members 
on when a measure "significantly af fects trade in services" within the meaning of GATS Article III:3 
and that the European Union cannot make a positive determination on this issue, it is therefore 
notifying measures that may be relevant to trade in services without prejudice to the interpre tation 
of the phrase "significantly affect trade in services" in Article III:3.  
 
 
1  MEMB ER NOTIFYING : 
The European Union  
2  NOTIFICATION UNDER : 
Article III:3 of the General Agreement on Trade in Services  
3  DATE OF ENTRY INTO FORCE : 
23 May  2019 
3.1  Duration:  
Not applicable  
 
4  AGENCY RESPONSIBLE FOR ENFORCEMENT OF THE MEASURE : 
Member States of the European Union/European Union  
5  DESCRIPTION OF THE MEASURE : 
a) Full title of the EU act:  
Directive (EU) 2019/692 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 amending 
Directive 2009/73/EC concerning common rules for the internal market in natural gas (Text with 
EEA relevance.)  
b) Brief summary of the content with a focus on potential effect on services trade:  
This Directive aims at closing a legal ga p in the EU's regulatory framework and boosting competition 
in the gas market. The overall objective of the amendment to the 2009 gas directive is to ensure 
that the rules governing the EU's internal gas market apply to gas transmission lines between a S/C/N/100 8 
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  Member State and a third country, up to the border of the Member State's territory and territorial 
sea. Among the main elements of the EU gas market rules, which are set out in the so -called gas 
directive from 2009, are ownership unbundling, third -party acces s, non -discriminatory tariffs and 
transparency requirements.  
This Directive provides for the possibility of derogations for existing pipelines to and from third 
countries, as well as clear procedures for negotiations with third countries and for exemptions  
regarding new pipelines . 
6  MEMB ERS SPECIFICALLY AFFECTED, IF ANY : 
N/A  
7  TEXTS AVAILABLE FROM : 
EU Official Journal, available on -line at:  
https://eur -lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/692/oj  
 
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