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The European Commission on Wednesday urged the 15 European Union (EU) governments to open their doors to computer experts and other skilled professionals from developing nations, saying the move must be part of a worldwide drive to liberalise global services.

But European Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy said the bloc would not allow any further liberalisation of key public services, including health and education.

The EU would also not open up its audio-visual sector to foreign competitors, Lamy told reporters.

The EU trade chief made his proposals as part of the Doha round of discussions currently under way in the Geneva-based World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Discussions on services are a major part of the WTO round.

With services representing 70% of the EU gross domestic product (GDP), Lamy said the bloc's governments had an interest in WTO steps to prise open world markets for services such as telecommunications, tourism and distribution.

It was also important to meet developing countries' demands for a relaxation of EU entry rules for computer experts and other skilled personnel providing business and professional services, he insisted.

EU states should provide "temporary residence to professionals while the service is being carried out," Lamy insisted.

The EU offer - which still has to be approved by member states - is in response to demands by India and other developing nations which are anxious to increase their exports of computer software and say their nationals should be allowed easy entry into Europe to provide such services.

But bowing to pressure from EU governments and anti-globalisation activists who oppose liberalisation of public services, the EU trade chief said the health and education sectors were "not up for opening." "We are not making any commitments in these areas," Lamy underlined, adding that the EU would also oppose American demands for a further opening up of Europe's audio-visual sector.

"There is no threat to our public services," he underlined.

Lamy's proposals will have to be endorsed by the 15 EU governments before being submitted to the WTO at end-March.

WTO negotiations on services focus on opening up the sector to foreign providers.

The organisation does not deal with issues like the deregulation or privatisation of services and WTO members can set special conditions under which a service is provided by a foreign provider.

These can be different from those imposed on national companies.

provider.

Much of the EU liberalisation package is conditional on satisfactory proposals being made by other WTO members as of April this year - Sapa-DPA.

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