ADBI-OECD Conference on Services Trade in Selected Sectors: Audiovisual services, Higher Education, and Financial Services

Purpose

The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the regulatory environment in which service providers operate and the trade barriers that confront them in Asian markets. The meeting will focus on audiovisual services, higher education, and financial services sector. These are three sectors with a large trade potential but so far there is scant research and analysis on the nature of the trade policy environment in countries in Asia. The conference and the resulting publication will contribute to filling this gap.

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Background

Services trade is an important part of overall global trade. For example, notwithstanding the well known underestimation of services exports, ASEAN's service exports to China and India have been strong, at an average annualized growth rate of 29% and 26%, respectively. Intra-ASEAN trade in services has also been growing rapidly, although at a noticeably slower pace of 16% per year.

The dynamic services sector, however, is better appreciated once one delves into sectoral studies. There, the regulatory challenges that are unique for each sector are better understood. General discussions on services can easily become abstract owing to the heterogeneity of the aggregate service sector. The unique modes of service delivery also open a better vista of how competition is hampered or facilitated through regulations.

This conference proposes to discuss selected service sectors that are important to Asia but where sectoral studies that focus on Asia have not yet been done. In particular, the conference will have detailed discussions of country and regional experiences of audiovisual services, tertiary education services, and financial services.

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Participants

Policymakers, Academics, Private sectors, Think tanks.

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How to Apply

By Invitation Only.

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Language

English

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Partners

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Indian Council for Research in International Economic Relations (ICRIER)