Services Trade Liberalisation: Identifying Opportunities and Gains

This study has two components: identification of concrete examples of services exports by developing countries, and quantitative studies on the gains from services liberalisation. While the study is by no means comprehensive, and is subject to many limitations, two fundamental findings emerge. The first of these findings, documented in Part I of the study, is that there is clear evidence that developing countries have important service sector export interests beyond mode 4 (temporary movement of services supplying personnel), being global or regional players in sectors such as business services (out-sourcing), port and shipping services, audiovisual services, telecommunications, construction services and health services. The second of these findings, documented in Part II of the study, is that for most countries, including many developing countries, export-related gains from services liberalisation are neither the only nor the largest basis of expected gains. A large portion of benefits from services liberalisation derive, not from seeking better market access abroad, but from the increased competitiveness and efficiency of the domestic market. Together, the study’s two findings underscore the potential benefits of services liberalisation, both for developed and for developing countries.