Objection on services trade, workers’ movement in WTO

The European Union, China, Australia, Japan, Korea and Russia have proposed rules for services suppliers including those related to gender and seeks to encourage recognition dialogue between the professional bodies of “relevant” WTO members. This has attracted oppositions from 7 countries led by India. . The other countries to join the brigade include South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tunisia and Zimbabwe. These nations have voiced their concern against disciplines being built around requirements such as recognition of professional qualifications and professional bodies, among other requirements called domestic regulations in trade parlance.

Of late countries like the US, the EU, Canada and Australia have created barriers through domestic regulation conditions to deny market access to short-term services providers from India under the Mode 4 of General Agreement on Trade in Services.