The webinar will seek to provide members with first-hand information from exporters and importers of LDC services and assist them in further promoting the implementation of notified preferences. Participation in the workshop will be open to relevant stakeholders, such as LDC services exporters (including exporters associations), members' development cooperation agencies, import/export promotion agencies, relevant international organizations, regional development banks and international aid programmes.

The webinar will consist of four sessions. The first will provide an overview of LDC services trade, presenting the latest available data on LDC exports, broken down as much as possible by sector and bilateral partner. In session two, exporters and importers of LDC services will provide first-hand information on their business and on accessing other markets, pointing to opportunities and challenges.

The third session will allow LDCs to provide information on their domestic policies and initiatives to support LDC services suppliers and their integration into global value chains, and to increase and diversify LDC exports. The concluding session will discuss lessons learned and pragmatic steps to increase LDC participation in world services trade.

The LDC Services Waiver allows governments that so wish to grant more favourable treatment for LDC services than what is guaranteed in their WTO commitments. Adopted at the 2011 Ministerial Conference, the waiver exempts members from their obligation to grant services and service suppliers from all WTO members the same access to their markets, also known as the “Most-Favoured Nation” obligation. The purpose of the waiver is to enhance the participation of the world's poorest countries in world services trade. A total of 36 WTO members are classified as LDCs.

Preferential treatment has been notified by 51 WTO members. Members welcomed the notification recently submitted by the United Kingdom of preferential treatment in favour of services and service suppliers of LDCs. This “stand-alone” notification replicates the preferences that the United Kingdom had granted to LDCs as a member of the European Union.

The United Kingdom recognized the importance of the Services Waiver for promoting LDCs growth and said it remained committed to supporting LDC services trade.

E-commerce Work Programme

Members continued their information-sharing exercise on policies and practices to boost the digital capability of businesses and consumers, including innovative models deployed in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Examples cited were initiatives on e-government, support for communications infrastructure and online assistance for small businesses. 

A couple of delegations highlighted that while information sharing is helpful, it does not address the remit of the Council, which should instead focus on activities that truly reinvigorate the 1998 WTO Work Programme on Electronic Commerce as per the decision by the General Council in 2019.

Members also reiterated their well-known and divergent positions regarding the e-commerce WTO moratorium. While a couple of delegations argued that it was a source of revenue loss for developing countries and a threat to their digital industrialisation, others stated that it had benefitted businesses and consumers and should be extended permanently.

At previous Ministerial Conferences, members have agreed not to impose customs duties on electronic transmissions through a so-called “moratorium”. The current extension of the moratorium runs until the 12TH Ministerial Conference scheduled for late 2021.

Services trade concerns

Members raised five specific trade concerns previously addressed at the Council for Trade in Services. Japan and the United States reiterated concerns about cybersecurity measures of both China and Viet Nam; China sought further clarifications about Australia's 5G measures and raised concerns regarding services trade measures of the United States and India; and the US repeated its concerns and sought clarifications about Russia's software pre-installation mandate.