Brussels, 18/11/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 18 November, the EU notified the World Trade Organisation (WTO) that from that day onwards the EU would start granting easier access to its market for services exports from the least developed countries (LDCs), through preferential treatment.
“The EU attaches great importance to helping the least developed countries better integrate into the world trading system. I hope that this will encourage all developed and developing WTO members, who have not yet given preferential treatment to these countries, to do so without delay”, said European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström, underlining the importance of this decision as part of the WTO's Doha Development Agenda.
The EU is thus added to the other WTO member countries that have responded to the commitments on the waiver for services exports from LDCs - commitments taken at the 9th ministerial conference of the WTO in Bali in December 2013. (The waiver on services exports for LDCs allows member countries to waive the most favoured nation principle of the WTO general agreement on trade in services - GATS).
As well as increased market access, this unilateral offer of positive discrimination includes extending access for the temporary movement of workers (mode 4) from LDCs for a range of trades and professions linked to services, lighter administrative costs for businesses and visas for professionals from LDCs, the recognition of qualifications, and technical assistance.
The EU will allow LDC services companies to transfer management trainees to affiliated companies in the EU in around 30 sectors or sub-sectors of LDC services. LDC companies with a contract to provide services in the EU will be able to send skilled professionals to Europe to provide these services for a six-month period. Similarly, independent professionals from LDCs will be able to provide services in the EU for up to six months in a wide range of service sectors - including architecture, engineering, research and development, management consulting and computer services.
This preferential treatment is granted until the waiver expires and until a country is no longer on the UN list of LDCs. Under the decision taken on the services waiver for LDCs at the 8th WTO ministerial conference in 2011, member countries can grant this waiver to LDCs for up to 15 years after the adoption of their decision on it. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)