Media releases
Monday, 25 November 2002 - MVT154/2002
Government Consulting Widely on GATS Negotiations
Trade Minister Mark Vaile today strongly rejected Opposition claims
that the Government is being secretive about Australia's role in the
World Trade Organisation services negotiations.
"Craig Emerson's claim that there will not be adequate public
or parliamentary scrutiny of Australia's commitments in the General
Agreement on Trade in Services negotiations is utter nonsense,"
Mr Vaile said.
"I issued media releases on 1 July and 29 October which provide
comprehensive summaries of Australia's GATS requests to other WTO
Members and Australia's broad approach to the negotiations.
"Australia's requests were developed in close consultation with
industry stakeholders and individual firms, along with input from
State and Territory government agencies and community groups.
"Australia has also received requests for new commitments and
market openings from a range of WTO Members, both developed and developing
countries. More are to be expected over coming months, since it is
only early days in the negotiations.
"Broadly speaking, these requests target a number of limitations
in our current GATS schedule of commitments as well as seek new commitments
in sectors where we have not yet made commitments."
Mr Vaile said the Government would consult widely with interested
parties in formulating its response to these requests. However, this
response - Australia's "initial offer" - was not due until
31 March 2003. Moreover, Australian government officials are still
going through a process of clarifying the details and objectives of
various requests with other WTO Members in Geneva.
Mr Vaile confirmed the Government would not publish the actual text
of Australia's requests or requests received from other WTO Members.
"These documents are formal government-to-government communications.
No other WTO Member has published this detailed information during
the negotiations," Mr Vaile said.
"Australia's requests are also based on commercial-in-confidence
information provided by industry. Publication of the requests could
arouse bilateral sensitivities with our trading partners and compromise
Australia's negotiating interests.
"Any amendments to Australia's GATS schedule of commitments will
be subject to the normal Parliamentary review processes carried out
by the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties. Any commitments requiring
changes to legislation would require passage through Parliament."
Progress reports on the GATS negotiations along with further information
about the GATS treaty and its implications for Australia are available
on the Department of Foreign Affairs website www.dfat.gov.au.
Media Contact: Robyn Bain +61 02 6277 7420
Local Date:
Friday, 05-Dec-2008 13:25:02 EST
