Real market access for LCD services exports- smartening up the tools

Description:

The future of trade lies in services, and LDCs export many of them. But clearly not nearly enough. The 2011 Services Waiver, as much as various FTA negotiations involving LDCs, put a focus on market access for services and services suppliers from LDCs. This session will provide an opportunity for an early discussion in the broader context of market access for LDC services in the context of the WTO Services Waiver.

Key issues:

Services are key for LDCs, and market access matters. The “preferences” granted by 24 WTO Members in the context of the LDC Services Waiver as much as FTAs and other bilateral and regional agreements and arrangements – on market access, regulatory disciplines, regulatory convergence and cooperation, mutual recognition and other matters – and of course the GATS itself provide the current framework for LDC services exports.

Possible Solutions

Reduce trade costs: High transactional and transportation costs negatively affect Developing Country and LDC competitiveness. Adoption of trade facilitation measures including full implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement will make it possible for smaller enterprises to join international markets and ensure that international trade is truly inclusive and aligned with the SDG principle that no-one should be left behind.

Focus on export diversification and level of processing: Exports from developing countries and LDCs in particular still hinge on raw materials that present high volatility. Diversification remains therefore a high priority. To assist with their diversification efforts developing countries and LDCs will need to continue benefiting from preferential market access conditions and productive capacity building.

Build Supply side capacity and trade related infrastructure through Aid for Trade: The international community needs to continue to mobilize resources for developing countries and LDCs to build supply capacity, strengthen trade-related infrastructure, and add value to exports. This should be done through targeted, focused and predictable Aid for Trade support.

Boosting the services sector: The services sector provide inclusive development potential given their large share in GDP and employment. In fact, this sector is particularly important due to its impact on the integration of developing countries in Global Value Chains especially if they lag behind in the physical infrastructure required for trading in merchandise goods.

Rules of origin and utilization of preference schemes: The specificity, design and application of rules of origin can make it difficult for LDC exporters to benefit from preference schemes. Strict rules of origin (or regional cumulation) were justified on the ground that they help in promoting integrated production structure in the recipient country. Seeking coherence in the rules of origin for both RTAs and preference schemes would help business deal with the complexities of structuring their production to take advantage of market opportunities created by these arrangements.

Committee missions

Our aim is to bring together leaders from governments, donors, international organizations, business and academia to foster trade action in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and inspire deeper collaborations and commitments in support of further LDC integration into global and regional trade. 2018 is a turning point for LDCs and trade, with a growing trade gap between developed nations and the world’s poorest countries and increasing instability in the world economy. The momentum we generate this year must lead to further integration of LDCs into trade at multiple scales into the future. At the Forum, leaders and practitioners from around the world will share what they have achieved on trade development in LDCs to date, with Aid for Trade complementing national initiatives, and will commit to doing more to ensure LDCs integrate and benefit from global trade. It will culminate in a call to action to leverage trade to combat poverty and inequality and to create a more inclusive trading system.

Useful links

· www.un.org;

· www.un.org/en/ga/second/;

· http: //unbisnet.un.org;

· https: //library/un/org

· http: //unctad.org/en/Pages/DITC/GSP/GSP-Preferential-Market-Access.aspx;

· https: //sustainabledevelopment.un.org/index.php? page=view& type=30022& nr=129& menu=3170;

· https: //www.un.org/ldcportal/new-investment-support-programme-for-the-ldcs/;

· https: //www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/devel_e/teccop_e/eifglobalforum18_e.htm;

· https: //unctad.org/en/PublicationChapters/wir2014ch4_en.pdf;

· https: //unctad.org/en/PublicationsLibrary/ditctab2015d3_en.pdf

 

 

[1] http: //www.un.org/en/ga/second/

[2]https: //www.ictsd.org/sites/default/files/research/International%20Trade%20and%20Sustainable%20Development%20Post-2015%20Development%20Agenda%20Briefing%20Series.pdf

[3] https: //www.tralac.org/images/docs/9568/trade-and-the-sdgs-making-means-of-implementation-a-reality-commonwealth-trade-hot-topics-april-2016.pdf

[4]http: //www.un.org/esa/ffd/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Trade-as-an-engine-for-development_ITC-UNCTAD-WTO_IATF-Issue-brief.pdf

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