General Agreement on Trade in Services

E4119

The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) is the main international treaty governing global trade in services, setting rules and commitments for how countries open and regulate their service sectors.


Statements (50)
Predicate Object
instanceOf World Trade Organization agreement
multilateral trade agreement
abbreviation General Agreement on Trade in Services
surface form: "GATS"
administeredBy World Trade Organization
adoptedAsPartOf Uruguay Round (1986–1994)
surface form: "Uruguay Round agreements"
allows MFN exemptions under specified conditions
appliesTo all WTO members
bindingOn World Trade Organization members
concludedIn 1994
contains Annex on Air Transport Services
Annex on Financial Services
Annex on Maritime Transport Services
Annex on Movement of Natural Persons
Annex on Telecommunications
annexes on specific service sectors
general obligations
specific commitments schedules
covers domestic regulation of services
international trade in services
market access for services
most-favoured-nation treatment in services
national treatment for services
progressive liberalization of services trade
defines four modes of supply of services
enteredIntoForce 1995
excludes services supplied in the exercise of governmental authority
language English
French
Spanish
legalStatus binding international treaty
modeOfSupply Mode 1 cross-border supply
Mode 2 consumption abroad
Mode 3 commercial presence
Mode 4 presence of natural persons
negotiationForum Council for Trade in Services
negotiationRound Uruguay Round (1986–1994)
surface form: "Uruguay Round"
objective increased participation of developing countries in services trade
progressive liberalization of trade in services
promotion of economic growth
partOf World Trade Organization legal framework
predecessor General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
principle most-favoured-nation treatment
national treatment
progressive liberalization through successive rounds of negotiations
transparency of regulations
requires establishment of enquiry points for information
publication of relevant measures affecting services trade
scope measures by members affecting trade in services
signedAt Marrakesh
subjectTo Dispute Settlement Understanding
surface form: "WTO dispute settlement mechanism"

Referenced by (30)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

General Agreement on Trade in Services abbreviation General Agreement on Trade in Services
this entity surface form: "GATS"
WTO panels appliesLaw General Agreement on Trade in Services
this entity surface form: "GATS"
Committee on Trade in Financial Services appliesRegime General Agreement on Trade in Services
this entity surface form: "GATS"
Dispute Settlement Understanding appliesTo General Agreement on Trade in Services
this entity surface form: "GATS"
Ministerial Conference canAmend General Agreement on Trade in Services
this entity surface form: "WTO agreements subject to procedures in the Marrakesh Agreement"
World Trade Organization coreAgreement General Agreement on Trade in Services
Committee on Trade in Financial Services follows General Agreement on Trade in Services
Marrakesh Agreement includes General Agreement on Trade in Services
this entity surface form: "Annex 1B: General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS)"
Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization includes General Agreement on Trade in Services
this entity surface form: "Annex 1B: General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS)"
Annex 4: Plurilateral Trade Agreements isDistinctFrom General Agreement on Trade in Services
this entity surface form: "Annex 1B: General Agreement on Trade in Services"
Committee on Specific Commitments legalBasis General Agreement on Trade in Services
Committee on Trade in Financial Services legalBasis General Agreement on Trade in Services
Council for Trade in Services legalBasis General Agreement on Trade in Services
this entity surface form: "Annex 1B of the WTO Agreement"
CTS legalBasis General Agreement on Trade in Services
subject surface form: "Council for Trade in Services"
Working Party on Domestic Regulation legalBasis General Agreement on Trade in Services
Working Party on Domestic Regulation legalBasis General Agreement on Trade in Services
this entity surface form: "GATS Article VI"
Working Party on GATS Rules legalBasis General Agreement on Trade in Services
Committee on Specific Commitments operatesUnder General Agreement on Trade in Services
Council for Trade in Services overseesImplementationOf General Agreement on Trade in Services
Council for Trade in Services overseesImplementationOf General Agreement on Trade in Services
this entity surface form: "GATS"
Annex on Air Transport Services partOf General Agreement on Trade in Services
Annex on Maritime Transport Services partOf General Agreement on Trade in Services
Annex on Maritime Transport Services partOf General Agreement on Trade in Services
this entity surface form: "World Trade Organization services framework"
Annex on Telecommunications partOf General Agreement on Trade in Services
Uruguay Round (1986–1994) producedAgreement General Agreement on Trade in Services
Annex on Maritime Transport Services relatedInstrument General Agreement on Trade in Services
this entity surface form: "GATS Article II on most-favoured-nation treatment"
Annex on Maritime Transport Services relatedInstrument General Agreement on Trade in Services
this entity surface form: "GATS Article XVI on market access"
Annex on Maritime Transport Services relatedInstrument General Agreement on Trade in Services
this entity surface form: "GATS Article XVII on national treatment"
CTS relatedInstrument General Agreement on Trade in Services
subject surface form: "Council for Trade in Services"
this entity surface form: "Schedules of Specific Commitments under GATS"

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