Greater access to foreign markets and increased transparency top the list of Hong Kong's service industries' wishes, a study commissioned by the Chamber's service policy think tank Hong Kong Coalition of Service Industries (HKCSI) revealed.

The study, conducted by the City University of Hong Kong over 22 months, was released at the first in a series of Hong Kong Services 2000 seminars planned for the year.

Entitled "Opportunities from Liberalisation of Trade in Services -- The private Sector's Interest," the study recorded a total of 9,438 'wishes' from 114 companies. The results highlight obstacles hindering local service industry's efforts to break into overseas markets.

Dr W.K. Chan (right), director-general of CSI, said the goal of the study is to prepare for the GATS negotiations in 2000 by developing a private sector 'wish list' on issues that Hong Kong service providers would like to address during Services 2000.

Six main service sectors dominated the results of the study, accounting for 89 per cent of all wishes, with the top three being financial services (24.3 percent), business services (17.6 per cent) and information technology (16 per cent).

The top eight economies for which the respondents wish to have greater market access are all located in Asia. China accounted for 37.7 per cent of all wishes, followed by Hong Kong with 11.8 per cent and Taiwan with 9.6 per cent.

Anming Zhang (below), professor at the Department of Economics and Finance of the City University of Hong Kong, said relaxing restrictions on the scope of business activities stands out as the most popular individual wish in the entire survey.

"It was pointed out by our respondents that in an increasing global market, the ability to offer a total one-stop solution package of services to their customers is absolutely essential for service providers to retain customers," he said.

The wish to improve the transparency of court rulings on business disputes underscores the hazards of running a business overseas, he said. A fair, open, and efficient court ruling procedure helps reduce critical risks of foreign firms.

"From their perspective transparency in court rulings can provide more timely and relevant assistance to their day to day operation than the WTO dispute mechanism that only operates at country-to-country level," he said.

China accounted for 50 per cent of all wishes for transparent court rulings. Hong Kong, also, was among the most frequently mentioned trading areas where companies wish to increase the transparency of court rulings.

The study also revealed the importance companies place on streamlining immigration procedures. The need to move professionals and managerial personnel frequently across borders becomes an integral part of open trade and investment, Dr Zhang said.

Hong Kong again ranked near the top of this list, accounting for 30 per cent of wishes.

Dr Zhang also pointed out that the study revealed that GATS national treatment or equal treatment principles is apparently not being followed by the main economies covered in the study.

"The respondents' main wishes for these economies were to remove discriminatory taxes against foreign firms and to relax licensing requirements that only apply to domestic companies," he said.

For more information on this study, you can find the executive summary, along with the full report and electronic GATS handbook on the Chamber's Web site, www.chamber.org.hk/service2000/