World Trade Organisation is the youngest international organisation operating on the global scale. Its key objective is to abolish restrictions in the flows of goods and services. In order to achieve this objective, member countries of WTO concurrently signed the general Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). It is the first multilateral agreement to lay down principles for free cross-border provision of services, including banking services.

The purpose of the article was to present the general rules underpinning GATS as well as the detailed provisions relating to banking services. The most favoured nation clause and the equal treatment of foreign providers of service are the cornerstones of GATS. The countries who have accepted the provisions of the General Agreement have thereby declared themselves willing to participate in the free flow of services. This lays the foundations for the global market of services, including banking services.

As a member of WTO, Poland is party to GATS. The country has submitted a list of specific commitments relating to GATS, which grant foreign parties a rather liberal access to the domestic banking services market. The list covers most of the basic banking services, with only a few restrictions. In this way, Poland declares its willingness to accept foreign competition in the domestic market; an attitude which is very much in line with the general trend towards globalisation, based on removal of barriers to the world trade.