<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1">
</head>
<body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000">
<br>
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----<br>
Hash: SHA1<br>
<br>
Hi all,<br>
<br>
I've just become aware (thanks to @glynmoody's tweets[0][1]) about a
new(ish) treaty - the Trade in Services Agreement - that is
currently being negotiated by WTO members outside of the WTO
infrastructure.<br>
<br>
So far, countries involved in negotiations are: Australia, Canada,
Chile, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Costa Rica, European Union
(representing its 28 Member States), Hong Kong, Iceland, Israel,
Japan, Liechtenstein, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Panama,
Paraguay, Peru, Republic of Korea, Switzerland,, Turkey and the
United States.<br>
<br>
There is an EU document[2] that lists areas that may be included:<br>
<span style="white-space: pre;">> Such proposals are expected to
be made in the area of domestic regulation (e.g. authorisation and
licensing procedures), international maritime transport services,
Information and Communication Technology (?ICT?) services
(including cross-border data transfers), e-commerce, computer
related services, postal and courier services, financial services,
temporary movement of natural persons, government procurement of
services, export subsidies and state-owned enterprises. This list
is neither an exhaustive list, nor does it mean that it was agreed
that in all those sectors there will be new and enhanced
disciplines. </span><br>
<br>
References to "liberalisation" earlier in the document and
"cross-border data transfers" there have me particularly worried
given the EU member states' reluctance to pass the GDPR despite
strong Parliamentary support.<br>
<br>
According to the Australian Government's website[3] on TiSA, the
next round of negotiations will start *tomorrow* (28th April) and
last until Friday (2nd May), taking place in Geneva. They also state
that at the last meeting (in February)<br>
<span style="white-space: pre;">> [The TiSA parties] agreed to
move from proposals to negotiating texts for all of these
disciplines.</span><br>
<br>
We should get some very strong wording out ASAFP demanding that this
negotiation is fully open and transparent at the very least, and
demanding that the TiSA parties release the working texts at the end
of every round. If they don't (and I suspect they won't), it's yet
another stick we have to beat the opposition around the head with in
the EP elections [as if we needed any more ;)].<br>
<br>
Also, apparently there is a public meeting[4] being held on
Wednesday at The Varembé Conference Centre (CCV), Room A, 17 rue de
Varembé, 1211 Geneva 20 between 18:30 and 21:00 - if any French or
Swiss Pirates who live near are able to go along, ask annoying
questions and report back that would be amazing.<br>
<br>
<br>
Regards,<br>
Jack Allnutt<br>
<br>
EU2014 Candidate,<br>
Dept. Campaigns Officer<br>
Pirate Party UK<br>
<br>
[0] <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://twitter.com/glynmoody/status/460487172815343616">https://twitter.com/glynmoody/status/460487172815343616</a><br>
[1] <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://twitter.com/glynmoody/status/460489144004018176">https://twitter.com/glynmoody/status/460489144004018176</a><br>
[2]
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2013/june/tradoc_151374.pdf">http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2013/june/tradoc_151374.pdf</a><br>
[3]
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.dfat.gov.au/trade/negotiations/services/trade-in-services-agreement.html">https://www.dfat.gov.au/trade/negotiations/services/trade-in-services-agreement.html</a><br>
[4]
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.dfat.gov.au/trade/negotiations/services/downloads/tisa-information-session-agenda.docx">https://www.dfat.gov.au/trade/negotiations/services/downloads/tisa-information-session-agenda.docx</a><br>
<br>
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----<br>
Version: GnuPG v2.0.22 (GNU/Linux)<br>
Comment: Using GnuPG with Thunderbird - <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.enigmail.net/">http://www.enigmail.net/</a><br>
<br>
iQIcBAEBAgAGBQJTXVs8AAoJECwf/qD9hoG/oDEQAIMm1AU7Ft1ZtrHt3y+/nLrb<br>
N5jsb5Q2mgHAlnqg/L5VelAEe5dqMl8B583OTz9jr1vxeg1bOvY8PE42GQzz48+6<br>
roxEpwxMmbZAhm+dpIoZdwekv3Uaq6bXVCA/7D3KDL8fugGNeli3QMia62BzPxIp<br>
LavSW7jt22hyEA7gFH4pPRghZpHDA6TWf7vl7X/6zA1U/UQbnaJvmSpdIMeCHHRm<br>
c0qFBh7JyO93hFpxRD6GK7ENt37OLqlQNRY7diH18be9qRuAGHB8KDQkGxSwq0yy<br>
9LKRe2oEX0nXM0Q9khMALeAMolCGrWXYatpQndcrcGVW/HxstaaMy0OX4CYR1iOK<br>
BOzphw8ZgR+JyvS/YP2voiAHVoICpi4ZVBreJgI50U8vdW5/nsZLO5vG0cXm1JBh<br>
AkxCNFLiYeV3mxeBVc26chZ3iz5pGn4boGTHhaq4UAweAH4vmEaYVOkaw+zmS2oj<br>
uk2ZCaS+wlooH9xsVw+lapvVUkDh4CWtaJQ4wmwBq7VTyRIGHwUK5qn4tHMVQ/SD<br>
XVzCdSgKf2MxZvaPTakH2lXGVk8+7xHiXVO1X2IIh4tgFjgmnh/tKmDqJO0eln3u<br>
Pp6bsvVZvR08OkY6EN38VDde9l+YSpfGjI364qvipOZwKglcT8YrY1y3KmPUzXoy<br>
BCxz9ZKvOTq7QQ4N9GrT<br>
=JKCu<br>
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----<br>
<br>
</body>
</html>