DECISION ON INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TRADE IN SERVICES
Ministers decide to recommend that the Council for Trade in Services at its first meeting adopt the decision on subsidiary bodies set out below.
The Council for Trade in Services,
Acting pursuant to Article XXIV with a view to facilitating the operation and furthering the objectives of the General Agreement on Trade in Services,
Decides as follows:
1. Any subsidiary bodies that the Council may establish shall report to the Council annually or more often as necessary. Each such body shall establish its own rules of procedure, and may set up its own subsidiary bodies as appropriate.
2. Any sectoral committee shall carry out responsibilities as assigned to it by the Council, and shall afford Members the opportunity to consult on any matters relating to trade in services in the sector concerned and the operation of the sectoral annex to which it may pertain. Such responsibilities shall include:
(a) to keep under continuous review and surveillance the application of the Agreement with respect to the sector concerned;
(b) to formulate proposals or recommendations for consideration by the Council in connection with any matter relating to trade in the sector concerned;
(c) if there is an annex pertaining to the sector, to consider proposals for amendment of that sectoral annex, and to make appropriate recommend-ations to the Council;
(d) to provide a forum for technical discussions, to conduct studies on measures of Members and to conduct examinations of any other technical matters affecting trade in services in the sector concerned;
(e) to provide technical assistance to developing country Members and developing countries negotiating accession to the Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization in respect of the application of obligations or other matters affecting trade in services in the sector concerned; and
(f) to cooperate with any other subsidiary bodies established under the General Agreement on Trade in Services or any international organizations active in any sector concerned.
3. There is hereby established a Committee on Trade in Financial Services which will have the responsibilities listed in paragraph 2.
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