India seeks easy access

Date: Thursday, June 05, 2003 4:30 PM

JOB DESTRUCTION NEWSLETTER

www.ZaZona.com

India is appealing to the WTO for less restrictions. This an ominous
development for American workers and should be taken very seriously.
The next newsletter will disuss the meaning of this WTO appeal in more
detail.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?msid=7059

India seeks easy access to 7 key service sectors

G GANAPATHY SUBRAMANIAM

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ FRIDAY, JUNE 06, 2003 04:07:00 AM ]

NEW DELHI: Striking a positive note at the ongoing WTO negotiations on
liberalisation of trade in services, India has called for opening up of
seven key sectors, including computer-related services.

The other sectors for which India has demanded enhanced access are
tourism, maritime services, audio-visual services, health services,
architecture and financial services.

India is also planning to seek opening up of energy-related services,
environment-related services and auditing. Compared to the defensive
approach adopted earlier, a proactive role would be played by India for
liberalisation of trade in services, commerce department sources said.

India has submitted requests to over 60 countries including the US, EU,
Japan, Australia, Switzerland, South Africa, Pakistan, New Zealand,
Singapore and Mauritius for opening up of these services.

Initial offers to these requests would be scrutinised in detail
before the strategy for future negotiations are finalised, sources
added.

The key demands of India for opening up these sectors include
multiple-entry visa for Indian professionals through a clear system.
The proposed visa system should respond to sectoral as well as
horizontal (cutting across sectors) commitments.

Professionals should be allowed the freedom of inter-firm mobility so
that their skills are leveraged to their best advantage, the requests
submitted to key trade partners states.

India has also made a plea to delink movement of professionals from
commercial presence, which involves setting up of branch offices
or representative agencies to deliver services.

In terms of horizontal commitments, India wants key trading partners to
allow professionals and business visitors to obtain visas without any
hitch for stay ranging from 90 days to five years. This should apply to
managers, executives and specialists who are involved in delivery of
services.

Ability to deliver services and market size were the key criteria
behind selection of the services on which India is focusing on, sources
said.

In some cases future growth potential has also been factored in, they
added.

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