The WTO Agreements on Telecommunications

Under the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Telecommunications Services, 72 member states have made commitments with regard to the increasing international competition in the telecommunications sector. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the regulatory framework at a multilateral level. It deals with the growing importance and the technological evolution of the telecommunications sector. Furthermore, it describes the negotiations on telecommunications at WTO level. The book gives insights into the provisions of the Annex on Telecommunications and describes their impact on the services industry. Moreover, the commitments relating to basic telecommunications are analyzed. The author specifically examines the reference paper which sets out rules for competition in the telecommunications sector and interprets these provisions in the light of the existing multilateral rules.