For Immediate Release March 2, 2004 Contact: John Goyer (202) 289-7460   Coalition of Service Industries Sees New Market Opportunities in US-Morocco FTA (Washington, DC) The Coalition of Service Industries (CSI) today welcomed the conclusion of negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the United States and Morocco. “CSI and its member companies support this agreement,” said Robert Vastine, President of CSI. “The agreement provides commercially meaningful market access for services, including audiovisual services, education services, energy services, express delivery services, financial services, legal services, professional services, and telecommunications.” Vastine noted that the agreement is consistent with key U.S. service industry objectives. In particular, it was negotiated based on the “negative list” approach, as have other US trade agreements including those with Chile, Singapore, and the CAFTA countries. This approach has repeatedly been proven successful in assuring services companies wishing to invest and do business in countries with which the U.S. is negotiating that their activities - unless specifically excluded - will be included in the coverage of the FTA. The agreement contains commitments to transparency in domestic regulation, licensing, and administrative proceedings. A transparent and fair regulatory system is a precondition for the liberalization of trade in services, and CSI has emphasized the need for the Morocco FTA, like others currently under negotiation, to contain strong disciplines to promote transparency. In addition, the agreement includes crucial protections for US investors. Most US services trade takes place through the commercial presence of US firms in the countries in which they are doing business; such sales totaled $432 billion in 2001. Thus, adequate investor protections are as crucial for the services sector as for any other industry. “This Agreement is good for both the United States and Morocco because it opens up opportunities for increased crossborder trade in services, and for increased direct investment,” Vastine added. “The FTA will enhance and solidify the reforms Morocco is already enacting.” # # # # # CSI is the leading business organization dedicated to reducing barriers to U.S. services exports and mobilizing support for domestic U.S. policies, including tax policies, which enhance the global competitiveness of its members. CSI was formed in 1982 to ensure that U.S. trade in services would become a central goal of U.S. trade policy and trade negotiations. It played a major role in the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and in the advocacy effort leading to the 1997 World Trade Organization (WTO) Basic Telecommunications and Financial Services Agreements. CSI’s knowledge of the process of services trade negotiations, its ties to the WTO and its network of relationships with governments and industry in other countries are unmatched. For a complete list of CSI members, visit our website at www.uscsi.org.