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CIAO DATE: 03/02
Economic Perspectives
Preface
On April 30, 45 nations hope to conclude a multilateral accord that will liberalize trade in telecommunications services — a world market exceeding $500,000 million annually. Two months later, negotiators from nations with shipping interests will seek to conclude an agreement easing restrictions on maritime services. Telecommunications and maritime services are just two of the many industries that constitute the service sector of the U.S. economy, a sector that accounts for almost 75 percent of U.S. gross domestic product and 80 percent of U.S. employment. In this, the inaugural issue of the USIA's electronic journal Economic Perspectives, we take an in-depth look at this dynamic sector of the global economy as we approach the 21st century.