The conclusion of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) constitutes a priority and key component of the external trade policy of the European Union (EU). It is also an immediate follow-up to several years of regulatory cooperation between the two global trade powers. In an...

The only partial completion of the EU internal market for services has arguably been one of the important stumbling blocks in unleashing economic growth throughout the Union. While being regarded as an outlier for decades, the freedom to provide services came to the forefront after a series of...

The GATS is regarded as a development-friendly WTO agreement and Article XIX lies at the heart of this pro-development efforts. This contribution offers a comprehensive analysis of this provision and critically deals with concepts that have not been tested by the WTO judiciary

This contribution is the most comprehensive treatise to date of the GATS market access provision. The authors analyze several contentious issues under GATS in an exhaustive manner and provide guidance as to the adequate interpretation of various concepts

The conclusion of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) constitutes a priority and key component of the new external trade policy of the European Union (EU) and an immediate follow-up to several years of regulatory cooperation between the two global trade powers. In an era of...

The negotiations relating to domestic regulations in services are entering their final phase. While the implementation of their results will depend on overcoming the current stalemate in the Doha negotiating round, it becomes increasingly clear that Members will want to capitalize on the...

Market access is the most important liberalizing principle in the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). It entails a general prohibition of quantitative restrictions, which however is conditional on commitments undertaken by Members in their respective Schedules of Commitments. Case-law...

The multilateral legal framework governing trade in services -- Barriers to trade in services -- Domestic regulations and the GATS -- Creating a horizontal necessity test for services -- Transparency and domestic regulations in services