The Meeting aims at discussing policy options that enhance the contribution of logistic services to growth, trade and development and at identifying approaches that developing countries may follow in building supply-side capacity and seeking access to global logistics markets as a means of effective integration into the global economy.
In that context, the Meeting will address:
- the new realities and developments in international trade in logistics services;
- the importance of logistics services to developing countries and the sector´s role in the attainment of national development objectives;
- strategies that could strengthen the use and development of trade and transport capabilities, including through institutional reform, public/private partnerships, adapting legal frameworks and streamlining administrative procedures.
It will also address competition and regulatory issues relating to the logistics sector, as well as the current progress in the WTO negotiations on logistic services and related negotiations on trade facilitation.
As mandated by the Commission on Trade in Goods and Services, and Commodities at its tenth session the Meeting will provide an opportunity for actors from the public and private sectors, including trade negotiators, policy makers and academics, to explore different facets of logistic services in an open debate at the international level.
The aim is to assist developing countries in strengthening their capacities to increase their participation in global services trade, in particular in logistics services, and apply the insights gained to help strengthen domestic services and regulatory capacity. To this end, the Meeting will endeavor to bring about an exchange and convergence of views on a set of policy options necessary to achieve further progress in GATS negotiations on logistics services, as well as consider the different negotiating approaches that can be used to produce pro-development commitments.
The Meeting will also discuss and review areas of international assistance that developing countries can benefit from during the process of developing their logistics sectors and in facilitating access to the global logistics services market.
