DECISION CONCERNING PARAGRAPH (b) OF ARTICLE XIV OF THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TRADE IN SERVICES

Ministers recommend that the Council for Trade in Services at its first meeting shall adopt the decision set out below.

WORKING PARTY ON TRADE IN SERVICES AND THE ENVIRONMENT

The Council for Trade in Services,

Acknowledging that measures necessary to protect the environment may conflict with the provisions of the Agreement, and

Noting that since measures necessary to protect the environment typically have as their objective the protection of human, animal or plant life or health, it is not clear that there is a need to provide for more than is contained in paragraph (b) of Article XIV.

Decides as follows:

1. In order to determine whether any modification of Article XIV of the Agreement is required to take account of such measures, a Working Party shall be established and shall examine and report, with recommendations if any, on the relationship between services trade and the environment including the issue of sustainable development. The Working Party shall also examine the relevance of inter-governmental agreements on the environment and their relationship to the Agreement.

2. The Working Party shall report the results of its work within three years of the entry into force of the Agreement Establishing the WTO.

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