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21 November 2003

1st Specialized Course on Trade in Services

10 - 21 November 2003

A two-week WTO Specialized Course on "Trade in Services" took place from 10 to 21 November 2003 in Geneva. Twenty-four government officials from developing countries, least-developed countries and economies in transition had the opportunity to strengthen their knowledge of trade in services within the multilateral system. This first-of-its-kind course was organized by the WTO Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation (ITTC) in cooperation with the WTO Trade in Services Division.

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The objective of the course was to enhance participants' understanding of the General Agreement on Trade in Services in the WTO framework. It further aimed to provide relevant context and an update of the current services negotiations, and seek to deepen participants' negotiating skills.

Through lectures, case studies and practical exercises, most of the first week was devoted to examining different aspects of the legal framework and the economic foundations of the GATS. The current negotiating structures for the services negotiations in the broader context of the "Doha Development Agenda" was also addressed.

The major part of the following week was devoted to a simulation exercise. During the second part of the course, a panel of guest speakers from developing countries' delegations shared their experience of liberalization of trade in services with participants.

This training course constitutes an integral part of the 2003 programme of the Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation. A Trade Policy Course in Spanish with twenty-three officials from developing countries, least-developed countries and economies in transition was also taking place during these two weeks.

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