Access to basic services plays animportant role in both individual well-being and acountry's economic development. For this reason,general availability of these services to citizens,regardless of income level and geographical location, hasgenerally been viewed as an important public policy goal.However, the precise definition of this goal and the meansof attaining it have provoked controversy. This volumeexplores whether liberalization can contribute to achievinguniversal service goals and, if so, how, and looks at thetypes of complementary policies that may be required. Itfocuses on experience in four sectors: telecommunications,financial, water and sanitation, and energy services. Foreach sector, an overview paper and one or two case studiesfrom developing countries examine the experience ofgovernments in harnessing liberalization to meet socialgoals. It is hoped that this cross-sector view will yieldgeneral insights which a focus on a single sector may not,and help each sector to generate ideas by drawing uponexperience in other sectors. A horizontal assessment alsohelps to determine how far the services negotiations at theWorld Trade Organization (WTO), under the general agreementon trade in services can aid or impede the attainment ofuniversal service goals.
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