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March 12, 2009
To Leaders of the G-20:
In our November 3, 2008 joint letter, the Global Services Coalition
was among the first to urge that G-20 leaders adopt a forceful
commitment to refrain from imposing new trade barriers and other
restrictions on market access in services and other sectors and to
resume the Doha Round of trade negotiations. We were gratified that
leaders responded with a pledge to do so, albeit for a period limited
to 12 months.
The WTO recently noted numerous instances in which countries
are raising trade barriers. We are extremely concerned that the letter
and spirit of this limited commitment have already been breached by
many of its signatories, both developed and developing countries
alike. These ill-advised inward- looking actions, which continue
apace, are significantly compounding the uncertainty already plaguing
the world economy.
The current crisis is obliging governments to stimulate
immediate demand. Some of that demand will naturally flow through to
imported goods and services in a globalised world economy.
If global markets are kept open then exports, and the jobs they
support, will be maintained as well. Trade has long been a major
driver of sustainable global economic growth, development and
alleviation of poverty. And trade will be a part of the
recovery, provided that we maintain an open approach. Short-term
stimulus measures must therefore be designed not to compromise
international trade and global growth.
Continued respect for economic efficiency will be central to restoring
business and investor confidence. We therefore call on leaders to
reinforce the moratorium on new trade barriers and to extend its time
frame (we are already nearly halfway through the original 12 month
moratorium). In addition, the WTO should be given a strengthened
mandate to monitor adherence to the standstill, and should be provided
with the necessary resources to carry out that mandate, to ensure that
the standstill is respected.
Renewed and reinforced commitments by leaders to maintain open markets
and to provide enhanced opportunities for growth through further
liberalization are needed urgently. Completing the Doha Round is one
of the most effective ways of achieving an early global stimulus
through expanded trade liberalisation on a worldwide basis. The scale
of the global economic crisis demands an ambitious and urgent outcome,
which must include new and rapid market-opening commitments to make a
substantial contribution to global economic recovery.
We call upon the G20 participants to bridge their remaining
differences in WTO agriculture and goods liberalisation proposals and
to avoid seeking exceptions that would undermine the Round's core
liberalisation objectives. At
the same time, negotiators should agree an early deadline for the
tabling of schedules of new and improved WTO services commitments.
This will enable progress to be made on delayed services negotiations
and ensure that the trade commitments actively sought by the
economically important services sectors could also contribute
meaningfully to global economic recovery.
Such commitments are not only an appropriate response to current
economic problems, but will also promote longer-term economic growth,
development, and poverty alleviation worldwide. Now is the time for a
clear political decision to conclude the negotiations of the Doha
Round by the end of this year.
We look forward to working together with you in any way we can.
Sincerely yours,
Australian
Services Roundtable
Barbados
Coalition of Service Industries
BRASSCOM
(
Brazil
)
Canadian
Services Coalition
Coalition
of Service Industries (US)
European
Services Forum
Financial
Leaders Group
Hong Kong
Coalition of Service Industries
International
Financial Services
London
Japan
Services Network
NASSCOM
(
India
)
Trinidad and Tobago
Coalition of Services Industries
Taiwan
Coalition of Service Industries
Wellington
Regional Chamber (
New Zealand
)
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