Since 2000, Canada has been participating in WTO general agreement on trade in services (GATS) negotiations, which are part of the Doha Round negotiations.
In early 2012, a group of WTO members with a strong interest in services started discussing new approaches to advancing the liberalization of trade in services while the Doha Round is at an impasse. Discussions revealed that members of this group are willing to pursue an ambitious agreement on trade in services among themselves, as permitted under the GATS rules. This consensus gained momentum during fall 2012, and negotiations are expected to start in March 2013.
Although 21 WTO members, including Canada, are currently involved in this initiative, there is general agreement to remain open to other WTO members that wish to join and that share the group’s objectives. The other participants in the discussions are Australia, Chile, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Costa Rica, the European Union, Hong Kong, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Panama Peru, Switzerland, Turkey and the United States.
