WTO Members Settle Pending Issues in Investment Facilitation Talks
World Trade Organization members agreed to scrap the Annex to the Draft Agreement on investment facilitation for development during a two-day negotiating round leading up to the April 5 plenary meeting, the WTO said. The Annex included three pending issues -- movement of businesspersons, definition of the term "enterprise," and a proposal to exclude "non-discriminatory measures of general application in the pursuit of monetary and related credit policies or exchange rate policies."
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On the movement of businesspersons, WTO nations reiterated their support for a joint proposal on information that shall be made publicly available on the Entry and Temporary Stay of Natural Persons for conducting investment activities. Regarding the definition of "enterprise," the proposal was dropped from the Annex since the delegations did not show support for it.
As for the proposal to exclude the non-discriminatory measures, "participating delegations agreed to introduce this provision as a standalone article in the Draft Agreement in a bracketed format (indicating text still under review), as some delegations requested more time to consult domestically on this issue," the WTO said.