WTO members met on 2 and 3 October to discuss the recognition of professional qualifications (RPQs) for service providers and other issues related to services trade. The session was organized by the Council for Trade in Services.
The meeting started with an overview from the WTO Secretariat, which explained provisions under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and outlined recent trends at bilateral and regional levels. Experts from international organizations, industry associations, and regional groups such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, and the Southern African Development Community shared their experiences with RPQs. Members from both developed and developing economies also presented their national approaches.
During the Council meeting, members discussed key points from the thematic session. They addressed challenges in facilitating RPQs and noted barriers that can limit market access for service providers. Several participants highlighted how improved RPQs are especially important for small service providers in developing and least-developed countries. Many members stressed that "the WTO’s role in facilitating RPQs" is significant, noting that "the Council for Trade in Services provides a forum for evidence collection and best-practice sharing," while calling for more notifications about such measures as required by GATS.
Some members welcomed practices used in recent mutual-recognition agreements (MRAs) and suggested more sharing of experiences specific to certain industries like engineering. There were proposals to create an MRA repository and develop an online course on MRAs to support capacity-building among developing countries.
Ambassador Ram Prasad Subedi of Nepal, Chair of the Council for Trade in Services, closed the discussion by encouraging members "to reflect on the information and experiences that had been shared and consider how they may take the work forward." He also reminded them that "the Council planned to hold the next thematic session on the green services economy and sustainable development during the upcoming cluster of services meetings in December."
Malawi spoke on behalf of least-developed countries (LDCs), announcing progress on an online survey intended to collect data about how LDC service suppliers interact with consumers and businesses abroad. This tool is meant to help implement preferences granted under the LDC waiver as mandated by ministers at previous ministerial conferences. The group said that "the survey is a key tool for fully operationalizing the waiver, in line with the mandate adopted by ministers at the 12th and 13th ministerial conferences." Members agreed that such information would be useful when reporting at the 14th Ministerial Conference scheduled for March 2026.
The Council also addressed several trade concerns. China repeated its concerns about unilateral tariff measures, urging collective action to protect global order in services trade. Japan and the United States reiterated their worries over cybersecurity policies introduced by China and Viet Nam; other members supported these concerns. In response, China described its approach to cross-border data flows.
China further raised issues regarding US measures affecting Chinese services as well as India’s regulations concerning mobile applications.