Panama: Diensten
From Handelswijzer Midden-Amerika van de Koninklijke Nederlandse Ambassade te Costa Rica
Main features
The services sector is of the utmost importance to Panama's economy and in 2006 it
accounted for 81 per cent of the GDP. Imports of commercial services fell to
US$1,694 million in 2006 while exports rose to US$3,904 million. Panama's international
trade in services has been extremely dynamic with imports growing at an average rate of 6.9 per cent
while exports rose by 11.8 per cent on average between 2000 and 2006.
Panama's schedule of specific commitments under the GATS, negotiated in connection with its accession to the WTO in 1997, includes both horizontal commitments affecting all sectors and commitments on specific sectors. The horizontal commitments concerning market access apply to the presence of natural persons working temporarily in Panama in the following categories: sellers of services, managers, administrators and specialists. Commitments affecting national treatment were not bound.
Panama adopted important specific commitments with regard both to market access and to national treatment in the 12 specific sectors in the GATS, with the exception of the "other services" sector. The commitments made in the telecommunications and transportation services sector, however, only include value-added telecommunications and the repair of aircraft, respectively.
Panama did not take part in the Extended Negotiations on Telecommunications within the GATS framework or the Extended Negotiations on Financial Services and has not accepted the Fourth and Fifth Protocols annexed to the GATS. Nevertheless, it has made broad commitments on financial services.
In the context of the services negotiations under the Doha Round, Panama submitted an initial offer in April 2003.
Bron: Organization of American State's Foreign Trade Information System (SICE)
