EU ‘not satisfied’ with Turkey’s int’l services trade offer, leaked documents show

ISTANBUL

European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmstrom (L) and Turkey's Economic Minister Nihat Zeybekci hold a press conference after their meeting at the European Commission, in Brussels, on May 12, 2015. AFP Photo

Leaked wires have shown European Union executives were allegedly “not satisfied” with Turkey’s offer to the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) Market Access Negotiations, a deal currently being negotiated by 24 members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), including the EU and the United States, stating Turkey needed to “substantially improve” its offer.  

“EU flagged that TR [Turkish Republic] offer in the worst 5-6 offers of the TiSA,” showed a document published on WikiLeaks, under a note that claimed to be the “outcome of the bilateral meeting of 10 November 2014.”

TiSA is based on the WTO’s General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), which involves all WTO members. The 24 members of the negotiated deal account for 70% of world trade in services. 
 
“Turkey should substantially improve its offer to bring it to the level of ambition agreed by the participants before moving into the exchange of revised offers;” the document, allegedly penned by EU TiSA negotiators, said.

Turkey reportedly raised the visa issue in negotiations, according to the document.

Turkey’s initial offer was an “attempt to translate GATS commitments into a hybrid approach,” it said. 

“TR pretends to have committed 90 sectors or sub-sectors or activities... Improvements on key infrastructure sectors have been introduced. Much legislation to be changed,” it also said. 

“TR stressed that however this is an initial offer but will need to take something back home to justify a change in the offer,” it added.