Press Releases

Government Invites Industry Input in WTO Services Negotiations
Wednesday, May 22, 2002

The Government is inviting inputs from the business sector in Hong Kong, China's requests on the liberalisation of trade in services in the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The WTO aims at reaching legally enforceable agreements on global trade liberalisation through multilateral negotiations. Following the successful Ministerial Conference held in Doha, Qatar, last November, WTO Members are engaging in a new round of multilateral trade negotiations. The negotiation on trade in services aims to remove market access barriers, or discriminatory measures existing in Members' regulatory regimes.

In order that the Government will best represent the interests of Hong Kong's business community in the negotiations, it is seeking views regarding any restrictive or discriminatory trade measures traders have encountered in overseas markets, or positive undertakings that they consider beneficial to their trade. "Comments on our general negotiation positions are also welcome," a Government spokesman said.

Views and comments may be addressed to the Multilateral Division of the Trade and Industry Department. The Government aims to tender the initial requests to WTO Members by 30 June 2002 as envisaged in the Doha Ministerial Declaration.

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