India to submit revised-offer on market access to WTO by May
OUR ECONOMY BUREAU
New Delhi, Dec 19 India will present the revised-offer on negotiations
relating to market access and national treatment commitments to the
general council of the World Trade Oragnisation (WTO) by May 2005,
minister of state for commerce EVKS Elangovan told Lok Sabha recently.
India has already submitted requests in the service sector to a large
number of member countries seeking more liberal commitments and urging
them to remove limitations in their existing schedule of commitments
towards certain services.
The service sectors in which the government is seeking horizontal as
well as sectoral commitments include accounting and book keeping,
architecture, health, computer-related services, construction and
engineering, financial, audio-visual, tourism and maritime transport
services.
India has made requests to 62 member countries of the WTO for freer
movement of professionals under Mode 4 of the general agreement on trade
and services (GATS). Mode 4 deals with temporary movement of
professionals from developing to developed countries and also between
developing countries. For instance, Indian healthcare providers deliver
services in West Asia. The Indian advantage lies in low-cost,
well-trained, high-quality professionals.
Sending and receiving countries adopt different approaches. Inflows are
encouraged via incentives, special immigration, and visa schemes.
Inflows are discouraged via immigration, labour market (economic needs
test, labour market tests) and certification-related regulations.
Outflows are encouraged under bilateral short-term arrangements.
Outflows are discouraged via emigration requirements and public service
requirements.
Negotiations on emergency safeguard measures (ESM) have also been
further extended beyond March 2004 and the results of such negotiations
shall enter into effect on a date not later than the date of entry into
force of the results of the current round of services negotitiations.
Though it is unlikely that there will be a surge of services from abroad
into India, the very purpose of ESM is to provide for suspension of
commitment among members in case of injury or threat of injury to
domestic services sector, according to official sources.
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