Regulatory Assessment Toolkit A Practical Methodology For Assessing Regulation O

The Services Sector-ranging From Telecommunications And Banking To Business Processing And Outsourcing-is Increasingly Recognized As Part And Parcel Of Any Trade Strategy, Both As A Source Of Export Diversification In Its Own Right As Well As A Key Component Of A Countrys Competitiveness. Unlike Trade In Goods, Which Is Governed By Border Measures That Regulate The Entry Of Foreign Merchandise, International Trade In Services Is Subject To A Wide Range Of Domestic Laws And Regulations That Govern Access And Operations By Both Domestic And Foreign Suppliers. While Such Regulations Are Essential Where Market Failures Or Externalities Exist And To Ensure Non-economic Objectives, It Is Often Difficult To Differentiate Between Legitimate Policy Objectives And Protectionist Measures That Introduce Distortions And Inefficiency In The Market.