The disciplines developed shall seek to buttress the liberalisation commitments undertaken by State Parties while preserving their right to regulate and ensuring their continued capacity to use regulations for development purposes. In order to ensure consistency between liberalisation in the Region and their WfO obligations, State Parties will decide to take into account the disciplines developed under the GATS. 5. (a) Given the importance that a well operating professional services sector has for economic development, special attention is to be given to the management of the respective qualification requirements and procedures and licensing arrangements, with a view to ensuring that the respective requirements and procedures are not adopted or applied in a manner which creates obstacles to trade in services. (b) When developing future disciplines on domestic regulation, special priority will be given to disciplines for professional services. ARTICLE 7 Mutual Recognition 1. No later than two (2) years following the entry into force of this Protocol, the TNF-Services shall establish the necessary steps for the negotiation of an agreement providing for the mutual recognition of requirements, qualifications, licences and other regulations, for the purpose of the fulfilment, in whole or in part, by service suppliers of the criteria applied by State Parties for the authorisation, licensing, operation and certification of service suppliers and, in particular, professional services. 2. Any such agreement shall be in conformity with the relevant provisions of the WTO and, in particular, Article VII of the GATS. In the development of such agreement, and any other possible arrangements or initiatives, account shall be taken of relevant processes and mechanisms under other SADC Protocols. 3. State Parties shall facilitate the access of Least Developed Country (LDC) State Parties to the Protocol. Recognizing the contribution technical assistance and capacity building can play in facilitating LDCs access to Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs), Members shall strive to provide such assistance, inter alia in accordance with mechanisms and initiatives carried out under other SADC Protocols. 4. In appropriate cases State Parties shall work in cooperation with relevant intergovernmental and professional bodies towards the establishment and adoption of common standards and criteria for mutual recognition for the practice of relevant services trades and professions. 8