The European Services Forum (ESF) is a network of representatives from the European services sector committed to actively promoting the liberalisation of international trade in services. ESF’s main field of activity are the WTO GATS negotiations and the EU’s bilateral trade negotiations on services and investments.
Letter sent to EU Chief Negotiator for India FTA concerning the importance of services commitments
ESF sent a letter to Ignacio Garcia-Bercero, the EU’s chief negotiator in the India trade talks reiterating the need to secure commitments for the services sector during the crucial lead up to the Summit in February. The letter was sent on the 5 December 2011 and is available here.
ESF signs second joint industry communication on Trade Finance and Basal III
ESF signed a joint industry communication on Trade Finance and the Basal Framework issued on 1 December 2011. The communication outlines support for policies that aim to strengthen the resilience of the financial services sector, as promulgated by the G-20, but restates continued concern about the unintended consequences of the regulatory treatment of trade finance instruments under the Basel framework, which does not reflect the risk profile of trade finance assets, nor does it take into account the adverse effects of the proposed changes on global trade and growth in the real economy. Available here: Part 1, Part 2.
ESF signs joint letter on draft Intra-Corporate Transfers Directive
ESF signed a joint letter sent on the 29 November 2011 on Intra-Corporate Transfers to Members of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs at the European Parliament. The letter is concerned with the draft Intra-Corporate Transferee Directive and the Committee vote on December 5th stressing the need to support the original objectives of the directive. Available here.
Letters sent by ESF to Commissioners of Trade, Home Affairs and the Digital Agenda on need for new international agreements safeguarding Cross-Border Data Flows
The Global Services Coalition (GSC) and Financial Leaders Working Group (FLWG), both of which ESF is a member of, released a Statement on the 21st November calling for new International Agreements to safeguard the provision of Cross-Border Data Flows. The European Services Forum sent this statement with covering letters to the Commissioners in charge of Trade, Home Affairs and the Digital Agenda, further highlighting the importance of Cross-Border Data Flows for international trade in services. See Statement here and letter here.
ESF sends letter of support for swift approval of the EU’s trade agreements with Colombia, Peru and Central America in the European Parliament
On the 21st of November ESF sent a letter to the European Parliament’s International Trade Committee (INTA) Chairman, Vital Moreira, and the competent rapporteurs and shadow rapporteurs outlining the European services industry’s desire to see a quick approval for the highly ambitious trade agreements, which will strongly benefit all countries during the current difficult global economic climate. See letter here.
ESF outlines European services industries’ priorities in Trade Agreement negotiation with Malaysia
On the 9th of November the ESF Policy Committee Chairman sent a letter in accompaniment to the ESF position paper on Malaysia to DG Trade Director-General Jean Luc Demarty. The letter and paper sets out the European Services industry’s priorities in the negotiations with Malaysia for a Free Trade Agreement. Letter and position paper can be found here.
Joint ESF and BUSINESSEUROPE letter sent to Commission concerning impact of the Capital Requirements Directive 4 (CRD IV) on trade and export finance
On the 24th of October ESF and BUSINESSEUROPE sent a letter to Commissioner Barnier, Commissioner De Gucht and Vice-President Tajani expressing strong concern regarding the proposed regulation on capital requirements for banks due to the negative impact it will have on trade and export finance. Trade finance, which is essentially a means of payment and a guarantee mechanism for the movement of goods and services, has historically maintained a low risk profile. If adopted and implemented as currently defined, the new capital and liquidity requirements of CRD IV will seriously reduce the availability of short term trade and export finance. The restriction of trade finance products for European businesses will ultimately threaten the recovery of the global economy, since European banks are providing a very large share of the world’s needs in financing international trade. Letter here.
Letter sent to Commissioner De Gucht outlining the European services industry’s views on EU Investment Policy towards China
On the 3rd of October the European Services Forum sent a letter to Trade Commissioner De Gucht conveying its assessment and concerns regarding the EU’s investment policy towards China. This letter was sent as a follow-up to the ESF secretariats response to the Commission’s consultation process on this topic in July. China undoubtedly holds much potential that is yet to be realised and given the importance of investment in establishing services suppliers in new markets the European Services Forum encourages, in principle, efforts to review the investment landscape and implement well-considered strategies to ensure that China is an open, secure and welcoming market for European investments. However, the approach adopted must be based on practical considerations of commercial interests, existing Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs), time scales, the need to maintain the highest levels of protection, a sound dispute resolution mechanism and the practicalities of negotiating pre-establishment market access. As such, future investment policy towards China must build on a comprehensive assessment.
ESF sends letter to Joint Secretary Prasad in response to the Indian Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion’s discussion paper on equity caps
On Friday 15 July the European Services Forum submitted a letter to Joint Secretary Prasad in response to the Indian Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion’s discussion paper: ‘FDI Policy Rationale and Relevance of Caps’. The letter highlights the close relationship between FDI and the services sector and draws attention more generally to the importance of FDI and an open transparent policy framework to a healthy economy. The letter goes on to address the specific questions raised by the discussion paper with a general focus on the detrimental effects of equity caps and the positive results that can be achieved sectorally through non-discriminatory regulatory frameworks that fairly treat foreign companies like all domestic companies. Within this context the letter also draws attention to freedoms enjoyed by Indian companies within the EU market.
ESF endorses joint association letter on Proposal for Directive on Intra-Corporate Transferees
The European Services Forum has always supported better mobility for highly skilled service providers with the rationale that it is important element in driving European economic activity. The adoption of the Proposal for a Directive on conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals in the framework of an intra-corporate transfer (COM (2010) 378 final of 13 July 2010) has therefore been actively supported by ESF at each European level. In further support of this important issue the ESF has endorsed a joint business association letter (22 June 2011) addressed to the European Parliament supporting the proposal for a directive on Intra-Corporate Transferees. The letter is available here.
ESF endorses paper on Reinvigorating Open Trade in Financial Services
Against the backdrop of global work on economic recovery and regulatory reform it has become important to reinvigorate efforts to open trade in financial services. The role of financial services as an essential driver of increased trade and investment flows underpins the European Services Forum’s endorsement of the Reinvigorating Open Trade in Financial Services paper, which highlights the critical role vibrant financial markets play for both companies and individuals and the importance of a transparent and sound regulatory environment. The paper’s message and content are pertinent to all international trade negotiations.
European Services Industry Priorities on EU-Mercosur FTA
The European Services Forum has followed-up on its June 14th 2010 letter to Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht, where it vocalised the services industry’s support for the renewed EU-Mercosur trade negotiations, with a letter and detailed position paper outlining the specific priorities of the European services industry (April 8 2011 Letter and Position Paper). The letter reiterates the importance of placing services at the top of the negotiating list and of achieving progress in Public Procurement access and treatment, investment security, and also of putting agricultural interests into perspective. The position paper provides further details of the horizontal and sector specific issues that need to be addressed in this trade agreement if it is to contribute ambitiously towards development in Latin America and growth and employment creation within the EU.
European Services industry calls EU and India leaders to boost EU-India FTA
On the eve of the EU-India Summit in Brussels on 10 December, the European Services Forum calls on the leaders of both sides to give a strong signal to the Free Trade Agreement negotiators demonstrating emphatically that their objective is market-openness and that their goal is an ambitious agreement that will deliver material opportunities to the economies and citizens of both parties. The resultant FTA would spur an advantageous expansion in global trade when it is vitally necessary to so do. It would give European businesses access to a huge potential market with a strong and steady growth rate (see Press Release). The European Services Forum sent to EU Commissioner for Trade, Karel De Gucht a detailed analysis of the priorities of the industry on the horizontal front, as well as in the various services sectors, sector by sector (see letter and detailed Position Paper).
European services industry voices its opinion on European Audit policy Green Paper
On the 7 December 2010 the European Services Forum’s Policy Committee Chairman, Richard O’Toole, sent a letter to the Commissioner for Internal Market and Services, Michel Barnier, regarding the European Commission’s Green Paper – Audit Policy: Lessons from the Crisis. The letter supports the need for a framework embodied in the EU’s 8th Directive on Statutory Audit, but also details the concerns of the services industry, particularly regarding the installation of measures that might impose an artificial restriction on trade, and therefore distort the market and further limit choice for companies. See the letter here.
ESF contribution to Commission’s EU-Japan Public Consultation
At the 19th Japan-EU Summit of 28 April 2010, the EU and Japan decided to establish a joint High Level Group (HLG) to identify options for strengthening all aspects of Japan-EU relations, including trade and economic aspects. The Commission subsequently launched a public consultation on the future of EU-Japan trade and economic relations. The European Services Forum, as a key stakeholder, provided feedback to this consultation on 5 November 2010 outlining the opinion of the European services industry. See contribution here.
Global Services Summit call to G20 leaders
The Global Services Summit that took place in Washington on 22 September 2010 concluded with a call for the G20 and APEC Leaders to use their upcoming meetings to put services trade negotiations front and center in the global trade agenda (see Final Communiqué). The Summit urged the G20 to engage vigorously on services and make a determined effort to engage in services market access negotiations, before leaders convene in Seoul in November.
At the occasion of the 2nd Global Services Summit in Washington, the Global Services Coalition released a statement on the benefits of services liberalisation for the economic development of the developing and emerging countries.
Hon. Craig Emerson, new Australia Minister of Trade, also took the Services Summit as an opportunit to announced the results of a research that quatified the bebefits of the trade in services reform. The Study finds that reform could led to an annual gain of up to US$ 115 Billion per year over 2011-2025 for developed countries and US$ 235 Billion for developing countries. More>> Study on “Quantifying the benefits of services trade liberalisation”
ESF Response to DG Trade Public Consultation on Future Trade Policy
ESF Response to DG Trade Public Consultation on future trade policy called the Commission for always keeping trade in services and investment in the top priority of the new EU Trade Policy and urged the EU for new efforts in concluding the DDA round, encouraged the negotiatros to pursue the bilateral trade agenda initiated by the “Global Europe” Strategy in 2006 and to further focus on the emerging markets. For a copy of the ESF Response, click here.
EU & US Business Groups Calls for Cooperation, Better Doha Offers
In a letter to EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, several European and U.S. business groups, including the European Services Forum, urged both the United States and the European Union to press for advanced developing countries, particularly Brazil, China, and India, to participate in the Doha Round sectoral negotiations and to provide substantial and meaningful improvements in market access in services. For a copy of the letter, click here.
European Services Industry Priorities on EU-Singapore FTA
“The European Services Forum is strongly in favour of concluding a free trade agreement with Singapore, which can serve as an ambitious benchmark for future agreements in the region.” That was the essence of the message sent by ESF Chairman Christoffer Taxell on 12 July 2010 to EC Commissioner for Trade, Karel De Gucht, on the European Services Industry Priorities on EU-Singapore FTA negotiations.
GSC support for the G20 leaders’ commitment in the Toronto Summit Declaration to conclude DDA
On 5th July 2010, the Global Services Coalition expressed their appreciation to the G20 leaders’ support for bringing the WTO Doha Round to a balanced and ambitious conclusion. However, the global services industry representatives also expressend their concerns that no date was set for the conclusion of the Round, and urged the G20 and WTO members to work vigorously to ensure that it be completed as soon as possible.
European Services Industry views on the EU new investment policy
The European Services Forul sent today (25 June 2010) its views on the forthcoming new investment policy of the European Union, to EU Commissioner for Trade, Mr. Karel De Gucht, who is meant to announce the new policy in the coming days. The European Services Forum notes that the Lisbon Treaty brought foreign direct investment (FDI) into the ambit of the EU’s Common Commercial Policy and notes the valuable opportunity that this development provides for the European Union to rationalise the policy of the Union and its member-states on investment questions, and to bring greater weight and comprehensiveness to EU FDI policy towards the rest of the world. ESF draws the attention on the fact that the WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) is an investment agreement as well as a trade agreement. However GATS only provides pre-establishment protection. Our companies also need post-establishment protection for their investments against unfair expropriation or nationalisation. In this context, ESF strongly welcomes the adoption of a new European Union Investment Policy that will open the way for negotiations of bilateral investment treaties (BITs) at EU level, bringing uniform benefits to services businesses across all European countries.
ESF Director made a testimony at the European Parliament Hearing on EU-Korea FTA
The International Trade Committee (INTA) of the European Parliament held a hearing on the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and South Korea, on Wednesday, 23 June 2010 (see Programme and Poster). The Director of the European Services Forum, Mr. Pascal Kerneis, was one of the speaker at the hearing. In his presentation, he presented the importance of trade in services and investment with Korea, the progress made in the FTA and the potential gains for the European services sectors. He strongly reitereated the support of the European service industries for the ratification of the agreement and its early provisional implementation.
European Services Industry call for an ambitious EU-MERCOSUR Trade Agreement
ESF Chairman, Christoffer Taxell, sent on 14th June a letter to European Commissioner for Trade, Mr. Karel De Gucht, supporting the resuming of the EU-MERCOSUR Trade negotiations. The letter is reminding the overwhelming importance of services and manufacturing in the economies of both regions, which should therefore drive the negotiations instead of the talks on agriculture that seems to capture too much attention. The European services industry is calling for an ambitious agreement, with significant progress made in the services commitments by the EU’s trading partners, and for a short negotiating time table. Other EU Institutions have received a similar letter.
Global Services Industries call on G20 Leaders to continue the fight against protectionism and conclude the WTO Doha Round
The Global Services Coalition issued a letter to G-20 leaders on 10 June 2010, calling on them to continue to resist enacting protectionist measures, and to conclude the Doha Round. The G-20 is scheduled to meet on June 26-27 in Toronto.
Seminar on implications of the EU Services Directive on international trade
The Australian Mission to the European Union organised a seminar 31 March 2010 in partnership with the European Services Forum. The seminar entitled “Growing Services Trade’ EU Services Directive – Implications for EU’s trading partners” (see programme) gathered around 80 participants representing business community and diplomatic missions. The presentation by ESF Director showed the importance of the intra-EU trade in services and the attactiveness of the European Union for the foreign investors. The implementation of the services directive should even further strengthen this trend by improving the competitiveness of the EU internal market.
Services Industries Priorities on EU-Canada CETA
ESF sent a letter to EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht on the European Services Industries Priorities for the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement – CETA. The Annex analyses the horizontal and sector specific priorities of the various services sectors for these important trade negotiations.
European Services industry urges to swiftly conclude trade negotiations with Andean and Central American countries
European Services Forum issued a Press Statement at the occasion of the on-going trade negotiations rounds between the European Union and Colombia & Peru on one side, and with the EU and Central American Countries on the other side.
ESF organised yesterday, 23rd February, an informal cocktail in the framework of the painting exhibition on “Cubism” at the Musée d’Ixelles in Brussels. The show is sponsored by Telefónica, the largest European investor in the region. The gathering was an excellent opportunity for the business community to express to the negotiators their support for the agreement. ESF is following with great interest these on-going negotiations. and hopes that this will be the last round with Colombia and Peru, so that the initialing of the agreements can take place at the European Union- Latin America & Caribbean Countries Summit in Madrid next May.
New version of ESF web site released on 13 January 2010
The New ESF web site includes a new section on Bilateral Negotiations, with documents on services related issues on most concluded free trade agreements by the EU which do content commitments on services, as well as on the numerous on-going bilateral and regional trade negotiations. A “Facts & Figures” section has been added, that contains statistics on trade in services. The “interesting links” section has been extended. Finally a restricted “Members Area” has been inserted. Comments are welcomed. Please refresh your “favorites” if need be.
European Services Industry Priorities on Trade and Investment sent to President Barroso
ESF Chairman Christoffer Taxell sent a letter to the President of the European Commission, Mr. Jose Manuel Barroso, on 24 November 2009, forwarding the ESF Priorities on trade and investment and asking the next Commission to fully recognize the international dimension of the activities of European services sectors as forming an integral part of the Commission’s strategy and is reflected in EU trade policies.
A Similar letter has been sent to the President of the European Parliament, Mr. Jerzy Buzek, asking respectfully the Members of the European Parliament to take ESF priorities into consideration in the course of the Parliament’s activities, and in particular for the forthcoming hearing of the next European Trade Commissioner.
ESF welcomes the initialling of the EU-Korea FTA
In a Press Release issued on 15 October, The European Services Forum welcomes the initialling of the EU-Korea Free Trade Agreement by EU Trade Commissioner Ashton and her counterpart Korean Trade Minister Mr. Kim Jong-hoon on Thursday 15 October in Brussels. “Congratulations for this first important formal part of the completion of the negotiations” said Christoffer Taxell, Chairman of ESF, to Commissioner Ashton when they met in Washington at the occasion of the Global Services Summit. He then strongly encouraged the Commission to closely monitor the remaining part of the process and urged the EU 27 Member States and the European Parliament to speedily proceed to the last steps that will open the way to the implementation of the agreement.
Global services businesses call for completion of the Doha Round – Washington, 14 October 2009
ESF, together with 10 other coalitions of services industries, at the occasion of the Global Services Summit in Washington, adopted a Press Communiqué where they called on WTO governments to draw on the energy of the G20 to overcome difficulties and speed progress in the WTO. The coalitions remined that G20 Leaders provided a forceful lead in Pittsburgh in September 2009, recognizing that ambitious and balanced completion of the Doha Development Agenda, during 2010 at the latest, is an essential prerequisite in underpinning and sustaining any significant revival of world trade. They urged governments to reengage with a commensurate sense of urgency exploring all options to boost confidence and move forward together on all three market access pillars towards a settlement that will achieve positive growth in world trade.
ESF co-sponsored the Global Services Summit-13 and 14 October 2009
The European Services Forum co-sponsored the Global Services Summit organised by the US Coalition of Service Industries, that took place in Washington on 13 and 14 October 2009. The Global Services Summit 2009 raised the political and public profile of services and by bringing together the key policy makers, thinkers, and stakeholders who can represent and advance services trade around the world, generated support for a trade policy that recognizes the central role that services play in economic growth and development.
ESF Chairman, Christoffer Taxell, introduced in the 1st session on the second day, the Keynote speech by WTO Director General Pascal Lamy who reitereated the need to ensure that the services negotiations are an integrated part of the DDA round.
For further information, including getting speeches, presentations of experts and videos, please refer to the Summit’s website.
ESF Letter to Barroso on EU-Korea FTA – 6th July 2009
ESF Chairman Christoffer Taxell called for a rapid conclusion of the negotiations on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the European Union and the Republic of South Korea in a letter sent to the President of the European Commission, Mr. José Manuel Barroso on behalf of ESF company leaders and ESF sector specific trade associations. >> More
ESF participates in CEPS seminar on a new EU-Canadian Free Trade Agreement - 29 June 2009
ESF Managing Director Pascal Kerneis participated in a seminar on “The New Economic and Free Trade Agreement between the EU and Canada” organised by the Center for European Policy Studies (CEPS) in cooperation with the Délégation Générale du Québec, on 29th June 2009, in Brussels. >> More
ESF participates in Islamic Development Bank seminar in Casablanca, Morocco-15-17 June 2009
ESF Managing Director Pascal Kerneis participated in a seminar organised by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) on trade in services on 15-17 June 2009, in Casablanca (Morocco). The seminar gathered trade in services negotiators from more than 15 North and West African countries that are a member of the IDB. It was an occasion to highlight the necessary links between trade and investment in services sectors and sustainable economic development. >> More
Global Services Coalition letter to G20 leaders before London Summit – 12 March 2009
The GSC issued on 12 March 2009, in advance of the G20 London Summit, a letter send to all G20 leaders. The letter calls for a renewal and strengthening of the “standstill” on new trade barriers, and for the WTO to closely monitor adherence to the standstill. The standstill was first agreed to by the G-20 group of countries at their meeting in November of 2008, but has been breached repeatedly, despite their call to fight against protectionism. >> More
ESF at the European Parliament hearing on Mode 4 – 19th January 2009
ESF participated in the Hearing organised by the Committee on International Trade (INTA) of the European Parliament on “Trade in Services in Mode 4 and Circulation of Workers” (WTO GATS – Agreement on Services) that took place on 19th January 2009. >> More
