SVGCSI Workshop on trade in services The Role of A National Coalition in the Development of the Services Sector

1. SVGCSIWorkshop on trade in servicesThe Role of A National Coalition in the Development of the Services Sector Michelle Hustler – German International Development Agency (GIZ)

2. Services: The Growth Engine ‘Services constitute two-thirds of the world economy and the fastest growing component of world trade. They are core drivers of economic growth, employment and development in every part of the world.’

3. What are Coalitions? A service coalition is an organization of stakeholders related to the services sector who may have diverse sub-sectoral interests, but who share common industry-wide objectives – namely the development of the service industry.

4. Caribbean Coalition Background • 1997 – Caribbean Coalition idea proposed at a CARICOM/UNDP Regional Workshop on Trade in Services • 1999 – CEDA commissioned paper, Towards a Caribbean Coalition of Services Industries, by Henry Gill • 2001 – COTED agrees to regional services sector development plan which includes the establishment of National Coalitions • 2002 – Barbados Coalition of Service Industries launched FULLY OPERATIONAL: Barbados Trinidad and Tobago Saint Lucia Coalition Jamaica Antigua and Barbuda Dominica LAUNCHED: Belize Grenada Guyana St. Kitts and Nevis St. Vincent and the Grenadines Suriname

5. CARICOM Objectives • To provide the service providers with knowledge of export opportunities; • To organize trade missions to identify and exploit market opportunities; • To encourage service providers to engage in developing export programmes and promotional activities through collaboration locally, regionally, and internationally; • To promote the further development and competitiveness of the services sector; • To ensure that the highest industry standards are met by all service providers; • To educate the service providers on relevant aspects of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), Free Trade of the Americas (FTAA), the Economic Partnership Agreements(EPAs) of the EU-ACP, the World Trade Organization's General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and any other trade agreements or developments that can affect trade in services; • To educate service providers on relevant government policies that can assist or hinder the export of services; • To represent the interests of the services sector, including lobbying government and promoting fair multi-lateral rules for trade in services; • To promote the organization of non-organized service providers into associations; • To advise government on market conditions/trends with a view to implement/relax policies to facilitate the growth of local practitioners; • To encourage strategic alliances/partnerships with regional and extra-regional counterparts; • To ensure that factors such as population, GDP, size of country and educational resources are contemplated during the implementation of any trade agreement.

6. Why Coalitions? Coalitions and their Impact on Stakeholders: • Governments • Collects information from private; • Disseminates information to private sector; • Serves as a ‘voice’ for the services; • Captures services data; • Plays a large role in organizing and strengthening the services sector; • Encourages government to seek/adopt fair, multilateral rules for trade in services – assists in the elaboration of informed trade policy decisions • Raises the profile of the services sector; • Serves as a vehicle for aligning with other international coalitions in raising the profile of the domestic services sector internationally

7. Why Coalitions? Coalitions and their Impact on Stakeholders: • Negotiators • Offers a focal point for the collection and dissemination of information; • Offers a platform via which private sector positions and developmental needs regarding trade negotiations are more readily obtainable; • Serves as a partner in hosting informational forums for the private sector regarding trade related issues; • Assists in the simplification of technical trade information to ensure a better understanding at private sector level

8. Why Coalitions? Coalitions and their Impact on Stakeholders: • Service Associations • Assists in the establishment of new service associations and in the strengthening of existing associations through administrative and developmental support; • Encourages and enables service associations to implement export-focused services and offers training regarding the same; • Assists in the development of national sectoral strategies, involving the input from various related service associations; • Lobbies on behalf of service associations or services sectors to governments or other international agents; • Facilitates the establishment of Mutual Recognition Agreements or address related market entry/access issues; • Establishes relationships and networks with other service associations across the region or internationally; • Facilitates networking opportunities amongst association members; • Offers service associations the opportunity to raise public awareness on the roles of the association and the types of services being offered by its membership; • Encourages services associations to adopt high, international standards

9. Why Coalitions? Coalitions and their Impact on Stakeholders: • Private Sector Operators • Raises the awareness of trade in services issues to private sector operators and draws to their attention information that will affect their competitiveness; • Simplifies technical trade material for its membership via web platforms, newsletters or through workshops and other forums; • Offers training and other support that will enhance the competitiveness of the private sector; • Provides export opportunities and elaborates export promotion activities such as trade missions; • Provides market information; • Assists in the formation of strategic alliances nationally and internationally; • Offers networking opportunities both nationally and internationally; • Assists its individual members in establishing credibility through alignment with the coalition or via initiatives such as awards programmes

10. Why Coalitions? Coalitions and their Impact on Stakeholders: • Public • A coalition: • Raises the awareness of trade in services issues; • Raises the profile of the services sector and ensures that the value and contribution of the services sector is well understood

11. S ‘In 2009, services accounted for 67% of GDP worldwide and commercial services exports totalled $3.78 trillion, or 24.3% of total world exports.’

12. Barbados, May, 2007 • Antigua, July, 2009 • Barbados, December, 2010 • Raiseawareness of the importance of the services sector at national/regional level • Development of exportpromotionprogramme • Lobbying and Advocacy for the development of the sector • Institutionalstrengthening for the services sector (associations and coalitions) http://c-nsc.org

13. German International Development Agency • Raise awareness on services issues in the region through the development and maintenance of a CNSC website, newsletter and magazine • Offer technical support to fledgling coalitions with respect to best practices •  Co-ordinate efforts of the CNSC network

15. Global Services Coalition and Others Informal, private sector led, international forum: • Australian Services Roundtable, Barbados Services Coalition, Canadian Services Coalition, European Services Forum, CSI (US), Hong Kong Coalition of Services Industries, Jamaican Coalition of Services Industries, Japan Services Network, NASSCOM, Taiwan Coalition of Services Industries, International Financial Services London JSN

16. A Developed Services Sector is Exporting A developed services sector is informed, organized, supported, contributory, competitive and most of all, exporting efficiently and effectively.

17. SUMMARY • EDUCATION or AWARENESS BUILDING – Raising the awareness of the importance of the services sector, educating the private sector and the governments on trade in services issues • DEVELOPMENT - INSTITUTIONAL – Organizing the services sector through the establishment of service associations, strengthening existing associations to serve as meaningful focal points for the sector • DEVELOPMENT – SECTORAL – Increasing the capacity of service providers to export through sector development initiatives, encouraging the adoption of the highest international standards • DEVELOPMENT – PRIVATE SECTOR – Equipping service providers with the skills to increase their competitiveness nationally and internationally • LOBBYING AND ADVOCACY – Representing the interests of the services sector, promoting a ‘services-first’ approach by governments, encouraging the adoption of fair multilateral rules for trade in services, contributing the negotiation processes, collection and dissemination of information • EXPORT PROMOTION – Identifying export opportunities, organizing trade missions/shows, encouraging associations to adopt export-focused programmes, facilitating trade initiatives (inbound/outbound), networking initiatives

18. A Developed Services Sector is the Responsibility of Many A national services coalition requires the support of many in the development of the services sector.

19. Developing the Services Sector - Responsibilities • Coalitions • Professional Associations • Government • Private Sector • Educational Institutions • Lending Institutions • Other BSOs According to a 2007 International Labor Organization report, more individuals are employed in the services sector than either agriculture or industry

20. http://c-nsc.org www.giz.de michellehustler@gmail.com SVGCSIWorkshop on trade in servicesThe Role of A National Coalition in the Development of the Services Sector Michelle Hustler – German International Development Agency (GIZ)