Why Are Services Commitments in RTAs Stronger than in the GATS? Trade Policy Implications for TTIP

Recent studies demonstrate a clear pattern in services commitments. They show that commitments in most services RTAs around the world are stronger than those in the General Agreement of Trade in Services (GATS) at the WTO. Although this gap in commitments is of course not surprising, the question of why it exists seems more puzzling. The political economic reasons underlying this pattern can provide policymakers and trade negotiators with a number of insights into the contours of a potential TTIP deal for services.