25 March 2011: The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) convened the fifth round of the Pacific Islands Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA) negotiations in Koror, Palau, from 16-18 March 2011. The objective of the fifth round was to negotiate the provisions of PICTA arrangements for trade in services.

According to PIFS, participating countries reviewed the overall state of progress of the PICTA negotiations on trade in services, and engaged in technical discussions on the countries’ schedule of commitments under the arrangement on trade in services. In light of the December 2011 completion deadline, PIFS members agreed on a framework for progressing their trade in services negotiations. The sixth round of PICTA negotiations on trade in services is scheduled to convene in August 2011. [PIFS Press Release]