Hong Kong Seeks Input On WTO Talks

by Mary Swire, Tax-News.com, Hong Kong

06 April 2006

Hong Kong's Trade & Industry Department is seeking input from interested parties regarding the areas that Hong Kong may pursue with trading partners on the liberalisation of trade in services in the WTO's Doha Round.

The WTO launched its new round of services negotiations in 2000. To prepare for the talks, the department conducted two public consultation exercises, one in 2002 and the other in 2005. The views collected have formed the basis for drawing up Hong Kong's negotiating positions, as well as the requests and offers for further liberalisation in trade in services.

The department said that taking into account the timelines set in the Hong Kong Ministerial Declaration adopted by trade ministers last December for concluding the services talks, intensive negotiations were under way in Geneva among WTO members, and these were expected to last through the year.

To develop Hong Kong's positions for the services talks this year, and to ensure that the prevailing interests of the community are represented, the department is seeking views from the business community on restrictive or discriminatory trade measures encountered in overseas markets, or positive undertakings that are conducive to trade.

The department stated that it welcomes views from any interested parties, including non-governmental organisations and the public, on the positions that Hong Kong may adopt in the talks.

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