Address https://gelex.eu/eli/EU/decision/2012/8@2011-12-14/en

Contents

1. Preamble
2. 1. Article 1
   2. Article 2

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular of Articles 91, 100 and the first subparagraph of Article 207(4), in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1) Article IX of the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the World Trade Organisation (WTO) sets out the procedures for the granting of waivers concerning the Multilateral Trade Agreements in Annex 1A or 1B or 1C to that Agreement and their annexes.

(2) A waiver has been requested whereby WTO Members would be enabled to grant preferential treatment to services and service suppliers of least-developed countries without according the same treatment to like services and service suppliers of all other WTO Members by exceptionally derogating from the obligation under paragraph 1 of Article II of the General Agreement on Trade in Services.

(3) It is in the interest of the European Union to give its support to that request for a waiver and thus to conclude a part of the Doha Development Agenda negotiations on services which is of special interest to least-developed country Members,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The position of the Union within the Ministerial Conference of the WTO shall be to support the request under paragraph 3 of Article IX of the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the World Trade Organisation for a waiver enabling WTO Members to grant preferential treatment to services and service suppliers of least-developed countries.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its adoption.

Done at Geneva, 14 December 2011. For the Council The President M. Nogaj

Versions

1. 2011-12-14

Cited by

• Council Decision (EU) 2015/2108 of 16 November 2015 establishing the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Council for Trade in Services of the World Trade Organisation to notify the preferential treatment the Union intends to grant to services and service suppliers of least developed country Members, and to seek approval for preferential treatment going beyond market access Decision · Grade B

  In 2011, a waiver was requested enabling WTO Members to grant preferential treatment to services and service suppliers of least developed country Members (LDC Members) without according the same treatment to like services and service suppliers of all other WTO Members by exceptionally derogating from the obligation under paragraph 1 of Article II of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). The position of the Union in support of that waiver was adopted by Council Decision 2012/8/EU.

• Council Decision (EU) 2015/1570 of 18 September 2015 establishing the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Council for Trade in Services of the World Trade Organization on the approval of preferential treatment notified by WTO Members, other than the Union and its Member States, as regards services and service suppliers of least-developed country Members, on the application of measures other than those described in Article XVI of the GATS Decision · Grade B

  In 2011, a waiver was requested enabling WTO Members to grant preferential treatment to services and service suppliers of least-developed country Members ('LDC Members') without according the same treatment to like services and service suppliers of all other WTO Members by exceptionally derogating from the obligation under paragraph 1 of Article II of the General Agreement on Trade in Services ('GATS'). The position of the Union in support of that waiver was adopted by Council Decision 2012/8/EU.