Brussels, 06/02/2003 (Agence Europe) - The Union of Industrial and Employers Confederations of Europe (UNICE) is calling for continued exerted pressure from the WTO for liberalisation of the services sector, in view of getting rid of barriers to trade and investment confronted by European businesses abroad. European employers assert that, "We are counting on the EU to take a forward-looking and ambitious position" in this negotiation, which is a "priority subject" in the new round of the World Trade Organisation, n the same way as market access, facilitating trade and investment. UNICE also warmly welcomes the consultative policy that the European Commission has adopted with regard to civil society on essential trade issues. The organisation hopes that multilateral negotiations on the services sector will strengthen including those on: substantial and firm commitments in a wide range of services sectors; a reduction in national restrictions on foreign investment, which impede the internationalisation of services; increased access and transparency in public procurement; removal of government rules and practices that impede or prevent key business personnel from temporary movement between WTO Member States; improved transparency of national services regulation through the development of pro-competitive regulatory principles; a reduction in discriminatory qualification rules and standards. UNICE considers that Europe has a dynamic and competitive services sector that has to be given the chance to grow and develop within a trade system based on equitable and transparent rule. (See EUROPE yesterday p 8 on the subject of the initial EU offer made by Pascal Lamy).