One of the reasons for the lack of participation of Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Low Income Countries (LICs) and Lower Middle Income Countries (LMICs) in services negotiations has been on the one hand, the lack of understanding by the trade officials of the specifics of services sectors and on the other hand, the trade aspects by the sectoral service officials. This case study examines the link between electric energy services regulation and policy and services trade aspects under the World Trade Organization (WTO) General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) with the aim of understanding what is the trade dimension within the electric energy services.
This study is published as part of the “Support to Enhance Development of Trade in Services Negotiations” initiative jointly undertaken by ILEAP, CUTS International Geneva and the University of Sussex’s CARIS. It aims to contribute to the increased and more effective participation of Least Developed, Low and Lower-Middle Income Countries and their Regional Economic Communities in multilateral, regional and bilateral services trade negotiations.
The initiative promotes understanding among policy makers, regulators and negotiators about their services sectors and the role that trade negotiations can play in pursuing their strategic interests therein.