WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION

Transcription

1 WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION Trade in Services Special Session RESTRICTED 21 June 2005 ( ) Original: English TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO Initial Offer The following initial offer from the delegation of Trinidad and Tobago, received on 9 June 2005, is being circulated to the Members of the Council for Trade in Services. Trinidad and Tobago hereby submits its initial offer in services to other WTO Members. This offer does not prejudice Trinidad and Tobago s final position related to the final as an outcome of the final negotiations. Trinidad and Tobago reserves the right to withdraw, modify or reduce its initial offer on services and any subsequent offer that could follow, in whole or in part, at any time during the course of the services negotiation. Trinidad and Tobago further reserves the right to make any technical change or correction to this initial offer and any subsequent offer that could follow.

2 TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO SPECIFIC COMMITMENTS Modes of supply: 1) Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial presence 4) Presence of natural persons I. HORIZONTAL COMMITMENTS All sectors included in this Schedule 3) A licence is required for the acquisition of land, the area of which exceeds five acres for trade or business or one acre for residential purposes. A licence is required for the acquisition of shares in a local public company where the holding of such shares either directly or indirectly results in 30 per cent or more of the total cumulative shareholding of the company being held by foreign investors. A foreign investor wishing to invest in Trinidad and Tobago must register with the Registrar of Companies. 4) The entry and residence of foreign natural persons is subject to Trinidad and Tobago's Immigration Laws. The employment of foreign natural persons in excess of thirty days is subject to the obtention of a work permit, which is granted on a basecase-by-case basis. Foreign natural persons shall be employed only as managers, executives, specialists and experts. Page 2

3 II. SECTOR SPECIFIC COMMITMENTS 1. BUSINESS SERVICES A. Professional Services (a) Legal Services Consultancy in International Law (CPC 86119) Patent Agents (CPC 8921) b) Accounting and auditing services - Financial auditing services (CPC 86211) - Accounting review services (CPC 86212) - Compilation of financial statements (CPC 86213) - Book-keeping, except tax returns (CPC 86220) except for horizontal Page 3

4 c) Taxation services - Business tax planning and consulting (CPC 86301) - Business tax preparation and review (CPC 86302) - Individual tax preparation and planning (CPC 86303) d) Architect services - Advisory and predesign architectural (CPC 86711) - Architectural design services (CPC 86712) - Contract administration services (CPC 86713) - Combined architectural design and contract administration services (CPC 86714) except for horizontal 3) Joint venture required except for horizontal Page 4

5 e) Engineering services - Advisory & consultative eng. services (CPC 86721) - Engineering design services for construction of foundations and building structures (CPC 86722) - Engineering design services for mechanical & electrical installations for buildings (CPC 86723) - Engineering design services for the construction of civil engineering works (CPC 86724) - Engineering design services for industrial processes and production (CPC 86725) - Engineering design services n.e.c. (CPC 86726) 1. None 2. None 3. Joint venture required 4. Unbound except for horizontal Page 5

6 except for horizontal h) Dental Services (CPC ) h) Medical services - General medical services (CPC 93121) - Specialized medical services (CPC 93122) i) Veterinarian Services (CPC 932) (Registration and Certification) except for horizontal (Registration and Certification) Page 6

7 j) Services provided by nurses - Deliveries and related services, nursing services, physiotherapeutic and para-medical services (CPC 93191) except for horizontal B. Computer and Related Services (b) Software Development (CPC 8421) Information services e.g. drafting and engineering services, digitizing and vectoring, data entry, remote telemarketing (CPC 843) Page 7

8 d) Database Services (CPC 84400) except for horizontal C. Research and Development Services (a) R & D in Natural Sciences (CPC 851) (b) R & D Social Sciences (CPC 852) c) Interdisciplinary research and development services (CPC 85300) except for horizontal Page 8

9 D. Real Estate Services 3) Joint venture required except for horizontal b) On a fee or contract basis - Residential property management services Fee/Contract (CPC 82201) - Non-residential property management services Fee/Contract (CPC 82202) 3) Joint venture required except for horizontal F. Other Business Services Page 9

10 International Marketing (CPC 86503) a) Advertising services - Sale or leasing services of advertising space or time (CPC 87110) - Planning, creating and placement services of advertising (CPC 87120) - Other advertising services (CPC 87190) except for horizontal 2. COMMUNICATION SERVICES B. Courier Services - Multi-modal courier services (CPC 75121) - Other courier services (CPC 75129) C Telecommunication Services except for horizontal except for horizontal Page 10

11 For Public use: (a) Voice telephone services (CPC 7521) (b) Packet-switched data transmission services (CPC 7523**) (c) Circuit-switched data transmission services (CPC 7523**) (d) Telex services (CPC 7523**) (e) Telegraph services (CPC 7522) (g) Private-leased circuit services (CPC 7522**, 7523**, 7525) 1) Until 2010 bypass of the network of exclusive public operator not permitted. None as of ) Reserved to exclusive supply until None as of 2010 See attached additional on regulatory disciplines. Page 11

12 (j) On-line information and data base retrieval (CPC 7523**) (k) Electronic data interchange (CPC 7523**) (l) Enhanced/value-added facsimile services, incl. store and forward, store and retrieve (CPC 7523**) (m) Code and Protocol conversion (n) On-line information and/or data processing (incl. transaction processing) (CPC 843**) 1) Until 2010 bypass of the network of exclusive public operator not permitted. None as of ) Until 2010, only on network facilities supplied by the exclusive public operator. None as of 2010 (o) other Internet and Internet access services (CPC 75260) 1) Unconfirmed, to be negotiated with exclusive provider. None 3) Unconfirmed, to be negotiated with exclusive provider. None Page 12

13 For non-public use: Mobile services (satellite-based) - Mobile telephone services - Mobile data services - Personal communications services 1) Unconfirmed, to be negotiated with exclusive provider. None 3) Until 2000 only on satellite network capacity supplied by the exclusive public operator. None as of 2010 Fixed satellite services Trunked radio system services Teleconferencing services (CPC 75292) 1) Unconfirmed, to be negotiated with exclusive provider. None 3) Unconfirmed, to be negotiated with exclusive provider. None Page 13

14 For Public use: Mobile services (terrestrial based) - Cellular/mobile /telephone services - Mobile data services - Personal communications services - Paging (CPC 75291) 1) Unconfirmed, to be negotiated with exclusive provider. None For Public use: Mobile services (satellite based) - Mobile telephone services - Mobile data services - Personal communications services Fixed satellite services (incl. but not limited to CPC 7524**) Telecommunications equipment sales, rental, maintenance, connection, repair and consulting services (CPC 75410, 75450) Page 14

15 3. CONSTRUCTION AND RELATED ENGINEERING SERVICES 5. EDUCATIONAL SERVICES Specialist Teachers (CPC 9290) (Registration and Certification requirements) Lecturers (Tertiary Level) (CPC 9239) (Registration and Certification requirements) E. Other Education Services Training of seafarers (CPC 929**) 1) Unbound 3) Joint venture required except for horizontal 1) Unbound 3) Joint venture required Page 15

16 7. FINANCIAL SERVICES A. Insurance (c) Reinsurance (CPC 81299) d) Services auxiliary to insurance Insurance Intermediation, such as broking and agency services (CPC 81401) Services auxiliary to insurance, such as consultancy, actuarial, risk assessment and claim settlement services. (CPC 814**) (Registration and Certification requirements) 1) Unbound 2) Unbound except for horizontal 1) Unbound 2) Unbound except for horizontal 1) Unbound 2) Unbound 1) Unbound 2) Unbound 8. HEALTH - RELATED SERVICES Page 16

17 A. Hospital Services (CPC 9311) (Registration and Certification) Dental Services (CPC 9312) (Registration and Certification) Veterinarian Services (CPC 932) (Registration and Certification) 9. TOURISM AND TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES Hotel and Resort Development (Construction) (CPC 51206) Hotel Management (CPC 6411) Page 17

18 A. Hotels and Restaurants (incl. catering) - Hotel lodging services (CPC 64110) 3) Hotels of less than 21 rooms are reserved for nationals except for horizontal - Letting services of furnished accommodation (CPC 64193) - Youth hostel and mountain shelter services (CPC 64194) - Camping and caravanning site services (CPC 64195) - Sleeping car services and sleeping services in other transport media (CPC 64196) - Meal serving services with full restaurant services (CPC 64210) - Beverage serving services without entertainment (CPC 64310) - Beverage serving services with entertainment (CPC 64320) except for horizontal commitment Page 18

19 - Meal serving services in self-service facilities, except for institutionalized cafeteria services such as in schools, hospitals and other public institutions. (CPC 64220) except for horizontal commitment B. Tour Operators (CPC 7471) 3) In-bound passengers only 3) In-bound passengers only D. Other (Marina services) 3) For vessels feet, marinas with more than 100 slips. For vessels over 100 feet, marinas with less than 100 slips. 3) Government subsidies may be limited to nationals 10. RECREATIONAL, CULTURAL & SPORTING SERVICES A. Entertainment services (CPC 9619) Page 19

20 D. Sporting and other recreational services (CPC 964) 11. TRANSPORT SERVICES A. Maritime Transport Services Ship surveys (CPC 745) 1) Unbound 2) Unbound (Registration and Certification) 1) Unbound 2) Unbound Dry Docking/Ship repairs; boat building and ship management/freight and transportation (CPC 8868) Navigation Aid and Communications/ Meteorological Services (for Maritime Purposes) (CPC 7453) (Registration and Certification) Page 20

21 a) Passenger transportation Passenger transportation by ferries (CPC 72111) except for horizontal b) Freight transportation services Transportation of bulk liquids or gases (CPC 72122) 3) Joint venture required except for horizontal 3) Joint venture required f) Supporting services for maritime transport (CPC 74540) 3) Joint venture required except for horizontal 3) Joint venture required Page 21

22 Page 22 Scope ANNEX ADDITIONAL COMMITMENTS ON BASIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES The following are definitions and principles on the regulatory framework for the basic telecommunications services. Definitions Users mean service consumers and service suppliers. that: Essential facilities mean facilities of a public telecommunications transport network of service (a) (b) are exclusively predominantly provided by a single or limited number of suppliers; and cannot feasibly be economically or technically substituted in order to provide a service. A major supplier is a supplier which has the ability to materially affect the terms of participation (having regard to price and supply) in the relevant market for basic telecommunications services as a result of: (a) (b) control over essential facilities; or use of its position in the market. 1. Competitive safeguards 1.1 Prevention of anti-competitive practices in telecommunications Appropriate measures shall be introduced for the purpose of preventing suppliers, who, alone or together, are a major supplier from engaging in or continuing anti-competitive practices. 1.2 Safeguards The anti-competitive practices referred to above shall include in particular: (a) (b) (c) engaging in anti-competitive cross-subsidization; using information obtained from competitors with anti-competitive results; not making available to other services suppliers on a timely basis technical information about essential facilities and commercially relevant information which are necessary for them to provide services. 2. Interconnection 2.1 This section applies to linking with suppliers providing public telecommunications transport networks or services in order to allow the users of one supplier to communicate with users of another supplier and to access services provided by another supplier, where specific are undertaken.

23 Page Interconnection to be ensured Interconnection with a major supplier will be ensured at any technically feasible point in the network. Such interconnection is provided: (a) (b) (c) under non-discriminatory terms, conditions (including technical standards and specifications) and rates of a quality no less favourable than that provided for its own like services or for like services of non-affiliated services suppliers or for its subsidiaries or other affiliates; in a timely fashion, on terms, conditions (including technical standards and specifications) and cost-oriented rates, that are transparent, reasonable, having regard to economic feasibility, and sufficiently unbounded so that the supplier need not pay for network components or facilities that it does not require for the service to be provided; upon request, at points in addition to the network termination points offered to the majority of users, subject to charges that reflect the cost of construction of necessary additional facilities. 2.3 Public availability of the procedures for interconnection negotiations The procedures applicable for interconnection to a major supplier will be made publicly available. 2.4 Transparency of interconnection arrangements It is ensured, that a major supplier will make publicly available either its interconnection agreements or a reference interconnection offer. 2.5 Interconnection dispute settlement A service supplier requesting interconnection with a major supplier will have recourse, either: (a) (b) at any time; or after a reasonable period of time which has been made publicly known to an independent domestic body, which may be a regulatory body as referred to in paragraph 5 below, to resolve disputes regarding appropriate terms, conditions and rates for interconnection within a reasonable period of time, to the extent that these have not been established previously. 3. Universal service Any Member has the right to define the kind of universal service obligation it wishes to maintain. Such obligations will not be regarded as anti-competitive per se, provided they are administered in a transparent, non-discriminatory and competitively neutral manner and not more burdensome than necessary for the kind of universal service defined by the Member.

24 Page Public availability of licensing criteria Where a licence is required, the following will be made publicly available: (a) (b) all the licensing criteria and the period of time normally required to reach a decision concerning an application for a licence; the terms and conditions of individual licences. The reasons for the denial of a licence be made known to the applicant upon request. 5. Independent regulators The regulatory body is separate from, and not accountable to, any private supplier of basic telecommunications services. The decision of and the procedures used by regulators shall be impartial with respect to all market participants. 6. Allocation and use of scarce resources Any procedures for the allocation and use of scarce resources, including frequencies, numbers and rights of way, will be carried out in an objective, timely, transparent and non-discriminatory manner. The current state of allocated frequency bands will be made publicly available, but detailed identification of frequencies allocated for specific government uses is not required.

25 TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FINAL LIST OF ARTICLE II (MFN) EXEMPTIONS Sector or Subsector Maritime Transport Description of measure indicating its inconsistency with Article II Cargo reservations under the UN Code of Conduct on Liner Conferences Countries to which the measure applies Intended duration Conditions creating the need for the exemption Signatories to the Code Unlimited Trinidad and Tobago is a party to the Code All sectors Bilateral investment promotion and protection treaties Co-signatories to existing and future treaties Unlimited Privileges accorded to signatories only Page 25