Australia's Latest Offer in Services Trade Negotiations

Australia's latest offer in the World Trade Organization services trade negotiations in Geneva aims to secure new business opportunities for our exporters, Trade Minister Mark Vaile announced today as the offer was tabled in Geneva.

"Australia's offer of improved access to our markets puts us in a strong negotiating position to open up world markets and achieve significant benefits for Australian services exporters," Mr Vaile said. "Services is a fast growing export sector for Australia and an enormous part our economy – 84 per cent of Australian jobs are in services industries.

"We are among the first WTO member nations to table an improved offer. It is critical that our trading partners now join us in tabling revised offers if we are to make real progress in talks."

Australia's offer includes legal, telecommunications, environmental, private health, freight logistics, construction and related engineering services, air transport (marketing), and other business services.

" We are also offering improved commitments covering temporary entry to Australia by business people. This responds directly to the concerns and interests of developing countries, and reflects Australia's own strong interests in achieving more open access to the markets of other countries, both developed and developing, for our services professionals," Mr Vaile said.

"We are particularly keen to see other Members match our ambitious offers in legal, telecommunications and freight logistics services."

Mr Vaile said the Government would uphold the right of WTO members to regulate and fund public services, and would not support any changes which cast doubt on that outcome.

"The Government will ensure that the outcomes of negotiations do not impair Australia's ability to deliver fundamental policy objectives in relation to social and cultural goals," Mr Vaile said. "As I made clear in our initial offer in 2003, Australia will not be making any offers in the areas of public health, public education or water for human use."

The initial offer is non-binding and can be amended or withdrawn at any time during the negotiations. In developing Australia's new offer, the Government consulted with a wide range of industry groups, professional organisations, businesses, state and territory governments, community groups and unions.

"As negotiations progress, we will continue to consult with stakeholders and provide all information that we can," Mr Vaile said.

The proposed changes to Australia's Schedule of Specific Commitments under GATS (the revised offer) and explanatory notes can be found on the DFAT website.

Contact: Mr Vaile's office 02 6277 7420 - DFAT Media Liaison 02 6261 1555