The Governments of Brunei Darussalam, the Republic of Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Union of Myanmar, the Republic of the Philippines, the Republic of Singapore, the Kingdom of Thailand and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (hereinafter referred to as "ASEAN");

RECALLING the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services signed on 15 December 1995 in Bangkok, Thailand;

HAVING carried out negotiations pursuant to Article IV of the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services;

HAVING reached an initial package of commitments;

HAVING achieved commitments which are beyond those inscribed in each Member State's schedule of specific commitments under the General Agreement on Trade in Services or which are at least as favourable as existing service regimes, for which Member States shall accord preferential treatment to one another on a Most-Favoured Nation basis;

DESIRING to set out in a schedule, the specific commitments that each Member State shall undertake;

HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

1. Member States shall extend to other Member States preferential treatment in services as set forth in the Schedules of Specific Commitments annexed to this Protocol.

2. The Annexes to this Protocol shall consist of the Schedules of Specific Commitments and the Lists of Most-Favoured Nation Exemptions.

3. This Protocol and its Annexes shall form an integral part of the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services.

4. This Protocol shall enter into force upon the deposit of instruments of ratification or acceptance by all signatory governments with the Secretary-General of ASEAN which shall be done not later than 31 March 1998.

5. This Protocol shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of ASEAN who shall promptly furnish a certified copy thereof to each Member State. The Secretary-General of ASEAN shall also promptly furnish notifications of ratifications and acceptances made pursuant to paragraph 4 to each Member State.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being duly authorised thereto by their respective Governments, have signed the Protocol to Implement the Initial Package of Commitments under the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services.

DONE at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on the Fifteenth day of December in the year One Thousand Nine Hundred and Ninety-Seven, in a single copy in the English language.

For the Government of Brunei Darussalam

For the Government of the Republic of Indonesia

For the Government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic

For the Government of Malaysia

For the Government of the Union of Myanmar

For the Government of the Republic of the Philippines

For the Government of the Republic of Singapore

For the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand

For the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam