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What is the role of WTO services rules in the context of the current financial crisis?

Proponents of open trade in services argue that the GATS, the General Agreement on Trade in Services, holds the potential to enhance efficiency and innovation around the world. But critics counter that market opening can also increase risks, especially in the financial system. Has the WTO's services agreement contributed to the crisis or is it a tool which can help create a more stable environment for international financial services? Myriam Vander Stichele, senior researcher at the Amsterdam-based Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations, and Sergio Marchi, senior fellow at the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development, discuss this topic with Keith Rockwell, WTO Spokesperson. You can also make your views known in the online forum below.

This debate was recorded on the sidelines of the WTO Public Forum 2009.

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