1. Services Negotiation Simulation for ESCAP/ITD/DTN/WTO Course on Capacity Building for FTA Negotiations By Prof. Henry Gao 20 – 24 August 2012 Asia Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand

2. Introduction A simulation on negotiation on liberalization in trade in services among three countries Objectives – Understand the complexities of services trade liberalization Economic + social & political concerns Coordination among different ministries – Enhance technical skills Ability to translate domestic concerns into negotiating positions Ability to conduct trade negotiation with countries with different backgrounds Requirements on participants – Minimum knowledge on GATS rules – Minimum knowledge on trade negotiation in general and modalities of services negotiation – Prior experience on trade policy formulation

3. Fact Scenario Three countries: – USA, KOT, PRC All WTO Members – Negotiation must be under WTO framework With different economic, political and social profiles – Different concerns, priorities & negotiating approaches Sector: health services

4. Tasks Two stages: – Internal negotiation: Collecting info on the service sector from relevant stakeholders: specialized ministries Translating demands/concerns of stakeholders into policy options: specialized ministries + trade ministry Drafting negotiating mandate/position: trade ministry+cabinent – External negotiation: Bilateral negotiation with each interested trade partner Consolidating results of negotiation into single schedule of specific commitments

5. Materials Background info on each country (public) Existing schedule of specific commitments for services (public) Negotiating mandate and bottom lines (private) Initial offer and request (private --> public) Supplementary materials: – GATS; services classification; scheduling guidelines (public) – Market survey; competitiveness analysis; financial info of firms (public/private)

6. Organization One delegation for each country – Head of delegation (senior person) – 3 Officials from trade ministry (law, economics, etc) – 3 Officials from health ministry (medicine, management, etc) – 3 Officials from finance ministry (finance, economics, etc)

7. Schedule - Morning 9:30-10:30: Internal negotiation – Formulate negotiating mandate & strategy – Draft initial offers (for everyone) & requests (to each of the other two countries) 10:30-10:45: break 10:45-11:15: – negotiating mandate & strategy and initial offers & requests approved by the Cabinet (instructors) – Anticipate possible requests & offers from the other two countries and prepare possible responses 11:15-12:15: Exchange & study initial offers & requests 12:15-13:15: lunch break

8. Schedule - Afternoon 13:15-14:15: first round of bilateral negotiations – 3 member team with one from each ministry – HOD as coordinator of all 3 bilaterals 14:15-14:45: internal deliberations – Compare offers & requests – Adjust positions, revise offers & requests if necessary – Prepare initial revised schedule 14:45-15:00: break 15:00-15:45: second round of bilateral negotiations 15:45-16:20: finalize schedules & report to cabinet 16:20-17:00: Reflections, discussions and conclusion

9. Good Luck! โชคดี ! ! sohk dii!