Overview of services classifications and the role of services classifications

Abstract

The second chapter looks more closely into the various services classification regimes and their impact for policy makers and regulators. Evidently, the classifications developed by the WTO build the landmark for any classifications discussions, but it cannot be overlooked that due to their time of origin, the rapid and ongoing technological developments since the Uruguay Round (1986–1994) and the lack of any adequate adjustments in the WTO regime ever since, more modern classifications of other organizations increasingly enter and are made use of in international trade negotiations. Therefore, a thorough assessment of such classifications appears to be inevitable.