Services bodies spotlight Public Forum, remittance costs and development issues

At meetings held from 7 to 9 October, the WTO Council for Trade in Services and the Committee on Trade in Financial Services commended the fruitful discussions on services trade at the 2026 Public Forum, continued discussions on transparency of measures regarding recognition of foreign service suppliers’ qualifications, and exchanged views on how to reinvigorate the Council’s work. Members also addressed how to facilitate digital payment systems and reduce the cost of remittances, help least-developed countries (LDCs) strengthen their participation in services trade, and various trade concerns