National treatment and market access
Both New Zealand and China have made commitments in the FTA that expand on their respective commitments in the WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). The services chapter of the NZ-China FTA establishes the general obligation of national treatment and market access in sectors listed in the services schedules to the FTA, subject to the restrictions specified in the schedules.
The national treatment obligation means that for the sectors specified in its schedule, and subject to any limitations that are noted for that sector, each country will treat service suppliers from the other country no less favourably than it treats its domestic suppliers in like circumstances.
The market access obligation means that for the sectors specified in its schedule, and subject to any limitations that are noted for that sector, each country should not be able to restrict access to its market in the form of limitations on foreign capital or on:
- the number of service suppliers, service operations or persons employed in a particular service sector
- the value of services,
- the legal structure used.
- Page last updated: 03 December 2008
