Commerce Dept and BCIS to hold Trade in Services seminar this month

The Department of Commerce in collaboration with the Bandaranaike Center for International –Studies (BCIS) will hold an interactive awareness seminar from 27-28 June at the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS) on Trade in Services.

Two experts from World Trade Organization, Geneva will participate as resources persons at this Seminar which is designed to disseminate information and enlighten the stakeholders on international trade and global trends in services in particular challenges and business opportunities in liberalization of trade in services. Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry and Commerce will inaugurate and deliver the key note address of this event.

Doing Business and Liberalization of trade in Services has become a burgeoning topic with the development of the disciplines and rules that govern their inclusion in Free Trade Agreements amongst countries.

The trade in services discourse is taking place at multilateral level such as World Trade Organization as well as in Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements in bilateral/ regional trading arrangements among countries as well. In Sri Lanka, the subject of trade in Services Sectors has become important especially in the context of proposed Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) with India.

Trade in Services is bound to play a pivotal role in future trade agreements with Government policy of integrating Sri Lanka with the Global Economy in the form of economic integration arrangements in line with the accepted disciplines and rules. In view of these future engagements, there is a need to empower all stakeholders both in private and public sector on the concept, disciplines and rules of trade in services between and among nations.

The seminar is expected to provide an in-depth understanding to government officials, private sector, civil society of the legal framework of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) under WTO, its various obligations, scheduling of commitments, transparency and regulatory obligations, policy formulation, new issues in services negotiations and the evolving regional integration landscape with the focus on Sri Lanka as well as issues related to policy space during the liberalization process and matters pertaining to movement of labour i.e. Mode (4)

The Department of Commerce is now registering the interested parties for this two day seminar to be held in BCIS and more details on registration can be obtain via tharaka@doc.gov.lk, 011-2436115.