The next challenge will be to assist trade in services, which is growing more quickly than trade in goods. A fresh round of services talks is due to start in 2000. The aim will be to strengthen last year's agreements on telecoms, financial services and IT, as well as completing an accord on accountancy services which is currently being negotiated. Rich countries want firm rules on government procurement, to replace the vague existing code. Some countries, but not America, are also keen to tackle other subjects that eluded agreement in earlier talks, such as shipping. These will prove thorny, too, as any global talks will have to cope with bilateral agree- ments dating back decades.