f or  pr ompt respons es  to ( and enquir y points  f or)  governments .  Ar ticle VI : 1 r equir es  that in

s ector s

 wh er e  

s pecif ic commitments  ar e under taken, all meas ures of gener al application

aff ecting trade in s ervices be adminis ter ed in a r eas onable, objective and impar tial manner .

A rticle VI : 2 include a commitment to maintain judicial, arbitr al or  adminis tr ative tr ibunals 

or pr ocedur es .  Ar ticle V I : 3 r equir e regulators  to inf orm applicants w ithin a r eas onable

per iod of time and to give inf ormation on the status of  an application.  Ar ticle VI : 4 calls on

the G A TS  Council to develop dis ciplines to ens ur e that qualif ication pr ocedures are based

on objective and transpar ent cr iter ia, and ar e not more burdens ome than necess ar y to

ens ur e the quality of  the service.  Ar ticle V I : 5 apply thes e dis ciplines  to s ector s in which a

countr y has  undertaken specific commitments .

I I.  I mp rovin g Gen eral Dis ciplines

A  transpar ent and fair regulatory s ystem is  important f or every s ervice s ector .

P ur suant to G ATS  A rticles  XV II I  and XI X, gener al commitments  should be sought in three

areas :  (A )  S tandard  setting, ( B)  the Regulatory A pplication Pr ocess , and ( C) Judicial,

A rbitr al, or Adminis trative Tr ibunals.

A .  S tandar d  setting

To ens ur e non discrimination in s tandard setting, negotiator s  s hould seek

agr eement on the f ollow ing general principles :

1.  A ll new  ( or  revis ed) r egulations  s hould be available f or  public comment

prior  to adoption with adequate time f or  comments by ser vice suppliers  oper ating in ( or

s eeking to oper ate in) the national market.

2.  To f acilitate the notice and comment pr ocess , a public hear ing s hould,

w hen neces s ar y and appr opr iate, be held to receive pr ivate s ector  input r egarding propos ed

r egulations .

3.  G overnment agencies  s hould addr ess  the comments  r eceived f rom

inter ested parties .

4.  N ew regulations s hould not be made ef fective until mar ket par ticipants

have a r eas onable per iod of time to become familiar  w ith their contents  and to take s teps to

implement them, except in emer gency situations .

5.  N ew regulations s hould be drafted so that they ar e clear  and

under s tandable.

6.  A ny hearings  by gover nment  spons or ed advis or y committees  should

nor mally be open to the public.  When regulators  or  advisory committees  hold private

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