Education International and Public Services International will be hosting a session at the 2008 WTO Public Forum on September 24-25 in Geneva.
“Public Services and the GATS: Trading Into or Trading Away the Future,” will debate the potential impact of GATS rules on the ability of governments to provide high quality public services like education.
“There’s been much debate regarding the provision of public services, like health care and education, and the scope of the GATS,” noted Monique Fouilhoux, senior coordinator with EI. “This debate will likely intensify in the future as the reach of the GATS expands, both through the inclusion of more service sectors in country schedules, and through the development of new disciplines on domestic regulation.”
More information about the WTO Public Forum, including registration, will be available shortly at: http://www.wto.org/english/forums_e/ngo_e/forum08_background_e.htm