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Singapore has been a firm and long-standing supporter of the Doha Development Agenda (DDA). At the 9th WTO Ministerial Conference in Bali in December 2013, the Minister for Trade and Industry called on Members to (...) start tackling new issues such as trade and environment, investment, non-tariff barriers and e-commerce; (...)

Regarding trade in services, the market access commitments follow a negative list approach. Singapore has made enhanced market access commitments compared with its GATS schedule in services sectors such as business services, courier services, telecoms, construction, distribution, education, environment, tourism, travel, recreation, and transport. The parties have scheduled a number of horizontal and sector-specific reservations for any future measures regarding investment and cross-border trade.

The agreement follows a positive list approach for services. The market access commitments for services cover, amongst others, environmental services, computer and related services, professional and business services, financial services, maritime transport services, telecom services, and courier and postal services.

The TPP consists of 30 chapters, as well as numerous annexes and side letters on bilateral matters. The agreement includes provisions on, inter alia, (...) environment; (...)

Since its creation in 1989, the 21 members of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) organization have adopted the principle of "open regionalism" without necessarily establishing a regional free trade area. Trade liberalization at APEC level has been pursued through voluntary and non-binding Individual Action Plans (IAPs) that are intended to indicate how countries plan to achieve the targeted goal of free trade and investment (Bogor Goals). Most APEC members have implemented a joint tariff liberalization initiative over the period 2012-16, whereby tariffs on 54 environmentally-friendly goods were either reduced or eliminated on an MFN basis. All the listed goods are already duty-free in Singapore. The tariff reductions are intended to promote regional trade in environmental goods, estimated by APEC at around US$300 billion within the region and US$500 billion globally.

(…) Certain business activities and services are subject to activity licensing or other forms of authorization. [25]

[25] For example, permits are required from the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) for health, safety, environmental, and intellectual property reasons for certain manufacturing activities (beer and stout; cigars; cigarettes; drawn steel products; chewing gum (other than medicinal gum and oral dental gum); and matches).

Singapore's framework for import controls has remained substantially unchanged since 2012. Import controls are maintained mainly for health, safety, environmental and national security reasons, or under international agreements. Restricted imports (other than prohibited items) are subject to licensing requirements, which may be automatic or non-automatic depending on the product. The licensing system applies to restricted imports from all countries. Products subject to automatic import licensing include: mastering and replication equipment for CDs, CD ROMs, VCDs, DVDs and DVD-ROMs; films, video tapes and video games; and publications (includes books, magazines, sound recordings, pictures or drawings, and photographs). Table 3.5 lists goods subject to import prohibitions or non-automatic licensing.

Table 3.5 Goods subject to import prohibitions or non-automatic licensing
General description of the restriction WTO justification/grounds for restriction Administering agency
Prohibitions
Asbestos GATT Art. XX(b); Rotterdam Convention National Environment Agency
(...)
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and their substitutes GATT Art. XX(b); Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions National Environment Agency
Certain ozone-depleting substances (including chlorofluorocarbons) GATT Art. XX(b); Montreal Protocol; UNFCCC National Environment Agency
(...)

Import prohibitions except under defined conditions
Halons GATT Art. XX(b); Montreal Protocol; UNFCCC National Environment Agency
(...)

Non-automatic import licensing
Endangered animal and plant species (CITES specimens and products) GATT Art. XX(b); CITES Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority
(...)
Hazardous substances GATT Art. XX(b) National Environment Agency
Hazardous waste GATT Art. XX(b);
Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal National Environment Agency
Radioactive materials, ionizing radiation irradiating apparatus and non-ionizing radiation irradiating apparatus GATT Art. XX(b); IAEA's Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources National Environment Agency
(...)

The Regulation of Imports and Exports Regulations is the main piece of legislation governing export controls in Singapore. Export controls are maintained mainly for security, health, and environmental concerns, or under international agreements. Requirements can take the form of an advance notification, a licence or a permit. Table 3.6 provides a list of products subject to export prohibitions or non-automatic licensing in Singapore.

Table 3.6 Goods subject to export prohibitions and non-automatic licensing
Type of restriction/product Justification/ grounds for restriction Administering agency
Export prohibitions
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and their substitutes GATT Art. XX(b); Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions National Environment Agency
Certain ozone-depleting substances (including chlorofluorocarbons) GATT Art. XX(b); Montreal Protocol; UNFCCC National Environment Agency
(...)
Export prohibitions (except under defined conditions)
Halons GATT Art. XX(b); Montreal Protocol; UNFCCC National Environment Agency
(...)
Non-automatic licensing
Endangered animal and plant species (CITES specimens and products) GATT Art. XX(b); Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority
Hazardous substances GATT Art. XX(b) National Environment Agency
Hazardous waste GATT Art. XX(b);
Basel Convention on the Control of Trans-boundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal National Environment Agency
Radioactive materials, ionizing radiation irradiating apparatus and non-ionizing radiation irradiating apparatus GATT Art. XX(b); International Atomic Energy Agency's Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources National Environment Agency
(...)
Pesticides GATT Art. XX(b); Rotterdam Convention National Environment Agency