Trade in services by mode of supply: definitions, collection strategies and preliminary results

International trade in services is covered by a set of rules documented in the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). The GATS is a multilaterally agreed legal framework for trade in services, which provides a system of enforceable obligations and commitments for services trade that apply to all members of the World Trade Organization. The GATS defines trade in services as the supply of a service through any of the four modes of supply: cross border, consumption abroad, commercial presence, and the presence of natural persons.