What are the implications of progressive liberalization?
The fundamental goals of GATS include expanding the areas covered and achieving the progressive elimination of tariffs and other barriers. While there is no time limit on GATS, Article XIX commits members to successive rounds of service negotiations with the aim of achieving progressively higher levels of trade rule liberalization. Thus, even those areas for which exclusions are sought are potentially subject to elimination as trade restrictions are lifted. • Even though the United States has listed scholarships and grants as exempted from national treatment under GATS, will those exemptions disappear in 10 to 15 years (under the notion of progressive liberalization), opening up state and federal scholarships and grants to foreign providers and students? Though the process of liberalization has been slow to date, the answer is not clear. These exceptions could be subject to progressive liberalization in the future. • How will GATS affect quality assurance and accreditation? Will U.S. a
