No services pact sans labour mobility

Currently,the proposal being negotiated for the services sector does not allow free movement of professionals across borders due to restriction on visas,entry procedures,and lack of mutual recognition of qualifications.

India has specific interests in the services agreement. However,the current proposals that relate to services do not seem to address the core issues that concern the movement of natural persons, Sharma said addressing G20 trade ministers meeting in Mexico.

Warning against a closed club agreement in the services,Sharma,in G20 trade ministers meeting said,Labour largely remains hemmed in by the national boundaries while capital finance and technologies are able to flow freely across the borders. They labour remain engaged in the value chains only as long as the wages are low and present a comparative advantage and this is a harsh reality which we cannot ignore.