|
The OECD Trade Committee provides senior trade policy officials of OECD Member countries and several observer countries the opportunity for a wide-ranging exchange on key trade policy issues and developments. It held its 147th Session on 27 June 2007 in Paris.
The meeting was focused on the implementation of the Medium-term Priorities, which had earlier been discussed at the Committee’s meeting in March, with a view to ensuring that the Committee’s upcoming activities will provide information, analysis and advice of the highest relevance and added value to the four priority areas identified.
The meeting began with a discussion of a “Services Roadmap”, which aimed at promoting the priority “liberalisation of trade in services” particularly through the development of a Services Trade Restrictiveness Index (STRI). The Trade Committee reiterated its will to see work on Services progress and expressed its support for the proposed work on the STRI. It encouraged cooperation between relevant OECD Committees and also other international organisations. Progress will be monitored by the Trade Committee.
With respect to two other medium-term priorities that had been identified – “progress in realising the benefits of trade liberalisation” and “interaction between domestic policies and trade” – the Trade Committee then considered a proposed Menu. The Committee acknowledged the need to further narrow the number of workstreams and indicated areas it considered most relevant. Based on the discussions, the Trade Committee, at its next meeting, will be proposed a Roadmap for these priorities where focus areas and resource implications will be expressed.
Concerning the fourth priority area – Export Credits –, the Trade Committee was offered an overview of work and recent developments.
Under other business, Delegates were informed that a Global Forum on Trade will convene on the topic of Trade, Innovation and Growth on 15 and 16 October 2007, which will aim to bring together a wide range of representatives from government, academia, business and other stakeholders from OECD as well as non-OECD economies.
The Trade Committee will hold its next meeting on 16-18 October 2007.
|
