by Kaisar | Feb 8, 2015 | Projects, Services
For practitioners in key services sub-sectors such as architecture, engineering, accounting and surveying, there is a need to understand the regulatory environment they must operate in if they are to work outside of their home country. Key areas such as licensing, registration and operating procedures vary from country to country. Earlier work has collected such information but it has never been collated into a single document (or set of documents). This project reviews and updates the information collected earlier and produce a handbook(s) for use by practitioners as well as an analysis of core competencies and best practices. This project was completed in September 2015. Downloads: Handbooks on Liberalisation of Professional Services through Mutual Recognition in ASEAN (Architecture, Surveying, Engineering, Accountancy services) Related Project: Development of Implementation/Action Plans to Enhance Mobility of ASEAN Professionals on Accountancy Services Development of Implementation/Action Plans to Enhance Mobility of ASEAN Professionals on Surveying Services ...
by Kaisar | Feb 8, 2015 | Projects, Services
The Services Diagnostic and Needs Assessment Study conducted fieldwork in all ASEAN Member States. It noted that, to varying degrees, ASEAN Member State officials could improve their awareness on the importance of services in their economies and how liberalisation would lead to overall economic benefits. This increased awareness would bring about the development or enhancement of comprehensive, long-term strategies to raise awareness among other key actors and the general public in the services sector. This project addresses the need to increase public awareness of the importance of liberalisation in the services sector. Appropriate models for increasing awareness-at the regional level and within individual ASEAN Member States will be developed and overall strategies for the application of the models, again at both the regional and national levels will be developed. These will form the basis for future awareness campaigns regarding the need for freer trade in services. ...
by Kaisar | Feb 8, 2015 | Projects, Services
The free flow of services is one of the elements for realising the AEC’s goal of establishing a single market and production base. Services liberalisation under the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services (AFAS) is undertaken through various rounds of negotiations. Liberalisation commitments are then translated into specific commitment schedules. These are not always consistent, do not always use standard terminology and sometimes lack clarity. This project will support the strengthening of these schedules to improve their readability and clarity. Improvements to the clarity of the schedules will assist foreign services suppliers in understanding the scope and market access commitments in the schedules. The project will: 1) identify key issues and problems in the AFAS schedules; 2) discuss these with ASEAN Member States; and 3) provide technical advice and develop materials to assist ASEAN Member States in reviewing and revising the structure and language of their schedules to enhance clarity and ensure their consistency with the WTO Guidelines on Scheduling. This project has been completed in 2013 ...
by Kaisar | Feb 8, 2015 | Projects, Services
Based on the final report of the Services Design Study supported during the transition period, the Services Diagnostic and Needs Assessment Study began in September 2010 and was completed in November 2011. The study assessed needs across all ASEAN Member States in four of the five AEC priority liberalisation sectors: air transport, e-ASEAN, healthcare and tourism. These were examined with reference to a range of important cross-cutting issues: competitiveness/productivity, institutional/regulatory, human resources, market constraints, adjustment costs and enterprise efficiencies. Using a network of in-country experts, fieldwork was conducted in each of the ASEAN Member States. Following conclusion of the fieldwork recommendations for follow-on activities were identified and presented in the final report. A number of project recommendations are now being implemented through AADCP II. Reports can be downloaded here: Abstract Executive Summary Final...
by Kaisar | Feb 8, 2015 | Projects, Services
This Design Study was concluded in December 2009. It included fieldwork undertaken in Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam as well as at ASEC in Jakarta. The study found that the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services commitments in liberalisation have been progressive and may not have reached unilateral liberalising levels in some instances. It identified a number of key cross-cutting issues as well as key sub-sectors. The report recommended a full Services Diagnostic and Needs Assessment Study be undertaken (refer Project 3). ...
by Kaisar | Feb 8, 2015 | Projects, Services
This project, completed in January 2011, examined the status of three key ASEAN Agreements – the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA), the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services (AFAS) and the ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement (ACIA). Implementation of the commitments in these agreements is key to the achievement of AEC Blueprint goals of liberalisation of trade in goods, services and investment. The study examined gaps and legal impediments between the agreements and the existing legal situations in each of the ASEAN Member States and made recommendations for future activities to accelerate compliance. At the ASEAN-level, it recommended prioritisation of key sectors within each agreement-transport/logistics and telecommunication in services, agriculture and manufacturing in investment and agriculture in goods. For each ASEAN Member State, it also recommended priority industries which varied from country to country. ...
