Which sectors have been opened up by the EU to CARIFORUM?
The EU has opened more than 90 percent of the sectors listed in the World Trade Organization (WTO) W/120 Services Sectoral Classification List, which is based on United Nations Central Classification (UNCPC) categories and used as the basis for negotiations under the in the WTO. These sectors range from Business services, Communications, Construction, Distribution, Environmental, Financial, Transport, Tourism and Recreation services. This liberalization has been extended across the full range of modes of supply, which are defined in the table below. The EPA Services Chapter, like several Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), consolidates Modes 1 and 2 as cross-border services; however, for market access commitments, CARIFORUM has maintained these as separate modes.
Modes of Supply in Services Trade
Mode 1: Cross-border supply is defined to cover services flows from the territory of one Member into the territory of another Member (e.g. banking or architectural services transmitted via telecommunications or mail);
Mode 2: Consumption abroad refers to situations where a service consumer moves into another Member's territory to obtain a service;
Mode 3: Commercial presence means that a service supplier of one Member establishes a territorial Presence, including through ownership or lease of premises, in another Member's territory to provide a service (e.g. domestic subsidiaries of foreign insurance companies or hotel chains); and
Mode 4: Presence of natural persons refers to persons of one Member entering the territory of another Member to supply a service. In Mode 1 and Mode 2 the EU has liberalized the vast majority of its sectors. In the case of investment (Mode 3) the EC has liberalized almost all sectors for CARIFORUM firms in the European Union with only some exclusions and limitations in a few sectors, mainly applicable to the new EU Member States.
In Mode 4, though certain conditions remain for European and Caribbean services suppliers, the EC has granted market access for Caribbean professionals in 29 sectors for employees of Caribbean firms or Contractual Service Suppliers (CSS) to be able to enter the EU to supply services for up to 6 months in a calendar year. This represents a significant improvement when compared to the EC’s offer in the WTO. In addition, independent Professionals or self employed professionals have been granted access to the EU in 11 sectors. Certain conditions still apply, such as economic needs tests but there are no restrictions on the number of service suppliers that may enter the EU market. This level of quota free market access commitment in services is unprecedented in EU services trade relations at the bilateral level and the multilateral level.
Sectors Liberalized by the EU for Temporary Entry by Contractual Services Suppliers from Cariforum (employees of services firms)
- Legal advisory services in respect of international public law and foreign law (i.e. non-EU law)
- Accounting and bookkeeping services
- Taxation advisory services
- Architectural services
- Urban planning and landscape architecture services
- Engineering services
- Integrated Engineering services
- Medical and dental services
- Veterinary services
- Midwives services
- Services provided by nurses, physiotherapists and paramedical personnel
- Computer and related services
- Research and development services
- Advertising services
- Market Research and Opinion Polling
- Management consulting services
- Services related to management consulting
- Technical testing and analysis services
- Related scientific and technical consulting services
- Maintenance and repair of equipment, including transportation equipment, notably in the context of an after-sales or after-lease services contract
- Chef de cuisine services
- Fashion model services
- Translation and interpretation services
- Site investigation work
- Higher education services (only privately-funded services)
- Environmental services
- Travel agencies and tour operators' services
- Tourist guides services
- Entertainment services other than audiovisual services
Sectors Liberalized by the EU for Temporary Entry by Independent Professionals (self-employed persons)
- Legal advisory services in respect of international public law and foreign law (i.e. non-EU law)
- Architectural services
- Urban planning and landscape architecture services
- Engineering services
- Integrated Engineering services
- Computer and related services
- Research and development services
- Market Research and Opinion Polling
- Management consulting services
- Services related to management consulting
- Translation and interpretation services 6
