We've moved to a new site!

Join us at publicservices.international - for all the latest news, resources and struggles from around the world.

We are no longer updating world-psi.org and it will be progressively phased out: all content will be migrated to the new site and old links will redirect eventually.

Trade in Services Agreement (TISA)

Media Release: Bali deal confirms WTO not able to reconcile trade and development

09 December 2013
David Robinson EI - Rosa Pavanelli PSI

The official package agreed in Bali and released with great fanfare on 7 December demonstrates how unbalanced the global trade agenda still is.

The WTO continues to be unable to craft trade policies that serve development and are consistent with the most important issues for the world’s poor, such as food security.

While India’s refusal to accept a temporary solution on food security has been addressed, the terms of the deal are much less favourable, leaving many other developing countries vulnerable in the medium term, with only a much watered down LDC package in return.

WTO: PSI says no to trade in public services

07 December 2013
The dangers of liberalising services

Latest update - 9 december: The official package agreed in Bali and released with great fanfare on 7 December demonstrates how unbalanced the global trade agenda still is. The WTO continues to be unable to craft trade policies that serve development and are consistent with the most important issues for the world’s poor, such as food security.
Read the full media release: Bali deal confirms WTO not able to reconcile trade and development.

PSI presented a special forum at the 9th WTO Ministerial in Bali. This forum aimed to shed light in dark corners: Why is a new services agreement required? Why must it be negotiated in secrecy outside the multilateral process? Why are so many developing countries refusing to participate? What benefit will it provide to the majority in the community?

Photos: PSI Trade in Services Agreement (TISA) Forum - Bali

06 December 2013

PSI presented a special forum at the 9th WTO Ministerial in Bali. This forum aimed to shed light in dark corners: Why is a new services agreement required? Why must it be negotiated in secrecy outside the multilateral process? Why are so many developing countries refusing to participate? What benefit will it provide to the majority in the community?

PSI Trade In Services Agreement event in Bali

Date: 
5 December, 2013

Public Services International is presenting a special forum at the 9th WTO Ministerial in Bali. This forum aims to shed light in dark corners: Why is a new services agreement required? Why must it be negotiated in secrecy outside the multilateral process? Why are so many developing countries refusing to participate? What benefit will it provide to the majority in the community?

Public Services for the Public Good: PSI statement on the Trade In Services Agreement (TISA)

2 Dec 2013

Universal quality public services and decent work are goals of economic development, to which international trade is but a means. Trade treaty rules should not force privatisation, nor interfere with the restoration or expansion of public services, where experiments with private provision fail or are rejected by democratically-elected governments. Trade treaties must not close policy space or inhibit innovation in public service provision.

Risks of the Trade in Services Agreement

14 October 2013
Group of speakers at at PSI workshop

Public Services International hosted a workshop at the annual forum of the World Trade Organization, on 2 October 2013, in Geneva Switzerland. The focus of the workshop was to explain to ambassadors and trade negotiators from around the world why the proposed Trade in Services Agreement, being negotiated in secret and outside of the WTO framework, will hurt quality public services, workers, our communities, and governments.

PSI Workshop at the WTO Forum

Date: 
2 October, 2013

PSI has been selected to run a workshop at the WTO Annual forum where we can explain to Ambassadors and trade negotiators from all over the globe why the TISA hurts quality public services.

Media release: PSI denounces Trade in Services agreement

16 September 2013
white envelope with Top Secret stamp in black

Governments meeting this week in Geneva, Switzerland are negotiating in secret a proposed Trade in Services Agreement (TISA). The 48 countries participating in the TISA negotiation seem intent on imposing the corporate agenda of using trade agreements to bind countries to extreme liberalisation and deregulation in order to ensure greater corporate profits at the expense of workers, farmers, service users and the environment. In few words: at the expense of people.

PSI denounces Trade in Services agreement

white envelope with Top Secret stamp in black

Governments meeting this week (16 September 2013) in Geneva, Switzerland are negotiating in secret a proposed Trade in Services Agreement (TISA). The 48 countries participating in the TISA negotiation seem intent on imposing the corporate agenda of using trade agreements to bind countries to extreme liberalisation and deregulation in order to ensure greater corporate profits at the expense of workers, farmers, service users and the environment. In few words: at the expense of people.

PSI brief on Trade in Services Agreement (TISA)

25 Jul 2013

This briefing note, written in July 2013, explains the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA).