VIR20-12

Sessions and Objectives

- Major trends in world services trade - Overview of the GATS architecture, main purpose and obligations - GATS presence of persons and interface with discussions on Movement of Business Persons

Date: 27/08/2020 Duration: 2 (h)

Number of participants: Men(0) / Women(0)

Objective: o Familiarize participants with major trends in services trade; o Enhance understanding of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), as a template agreement used also in the context of regional integration;

Category: Improve knowledge of WTO Agreements or particular area of Agreements, of WTO negotiations, of WTO Committees or WTO subjects

Indicators:

  • Indicator: Participants opinion

    Evidence: Quality of the delivery by the facilitator: 77% very good; 13% good.

  • Indicator: Results of quizzes, tests or exams

    Evidence: The presentations contained numerous built-in questions and quizzes. Several participants were happy to engage, but not all of the answers were spot on.

Conclusion: Overall, this introductory session was most popular with the participants, and was - in part - the least technical of the sessions. Both feedback from participants and our own assessment suggest that it was to a large extent successful.

Results: To a large extend

- Main obligations of the GATS – Most-Favoured-Nation Treatment, Market Access, National Treatment - Scheduling of Commitments

Date: 01/09/2020 Duration: 2 (h)

Number of participants: Men(0) / Women(0)

Objective: o Enhance understanding of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), as a template agreement used also in the context of regional integration;

Category: Improve knowledge of WTO Agreements or particular area of Agreements, of WTO negotiations, of WTO Committees or WTO subjects

Indicators:

  • Indicator: Participants opinion

    Evidence: quality of the delivery by the facilitator: 23 % very good, 69% good, 8% medium.

  • Indicator: Results of quizzes, tests or exams

    Evidence: Given the diverse profile of participants and our initial lack of experience with online exercises, no group exercises were proposed. The questions posed to the participants were simple, and replies showed a varying degree of understanding

Conclusion: Overall, participants were able to learn the basics of GATS

Results: To a large extend

- Services Regional Trade Agreements, with a focus on the African context - The link between E-Commerce and trade in services

Date: 03/09/2020 Duration: 2 (h)

Number of participants: Men(0) / Women(0)

Objective: o Sensitize participants of the links between e—commerce and services trade, and relevant regional integration agreements on trade in services.

Category: Improve knowledge of WTO Agreements or particular area of Agreements, of WTO negotiations, of WTO Committees or WTO subjects

Indicators:

  • Indicator: Participants opinion

    Evidence: quality of the delivery by the facilitator: 46 % very good, 46% good, 8% medium.

Conclusion: Participants showed a strong interest in both the topics of regional integration and e-commerce, and contributed with questions and observations throughout.

Results: To a large extend