Progress on accessions to the GPA 2012
Events welcomed Costa Rica’s “remaining” market entry provide submitted in January 2025. Reaffirming its sturdy dedication to acceding to the GPA 2012 as quickly as practicable, Costa Rica’s consultant, Leonor Obando, mentioned: “We’re ready to just accept the challenges and alternatives that membership within the GPA will present. We firmly imagine that our accession won’t solely enhance Costa Rica’s economic system however will additionally function a catalyst for the growth of the GPA to the Latin American area.” Costa Rica is the primary Central American WTO member in search of to turn into a celebration to the Settlement.
Progress was additionally achieved on Albania’s accession, with events welcoming the “remaining” market entry provide it submitted in January. Albania’s consultant Reida Kashta said: “We want to conclude our accession negotiations as quickly as doable and are collaborating with GPA events in direction of this goal.”
The Committee additionally mentioned the continued GPA accession negotiations of China, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan.
An infographic explaining accession to the Settlement is accessible right here.
Enhancing SME participation in authorities procurement
As a follow-up to a current Committee choice on finest practices for supporting the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in authorities procurement, the Dominican Republic shared details about its initiatives to extend dialogue with the personal sector and promote a extra inclusive procurement setting. GPA events welcomed this info.
Higher entry to historic GPA paperwork
The Committee’s choice to derestrict further historic paperwork will present the general public with higher entry to data of previous Committee conferences on the WTO web site.
Work programme on sustainable procurement
Events welcomed the publication on the WTO web site of compilations of inexperienced public procurement-related provisions that sure GPA events have applied of their home authorities procurement methods or included in worldwide devices, comparable to free commerce agreements. These compilations emerged from the Committee’s agreed Work programme on sustainable procurement and could be accessed right here.
Additional improve to the e-GPA Gateway
The WTO Secretariat supplied an replace on a brand new e-GPA notification system, collectively developed by the Mental Property, Authorities Procurement and Competitors Division and the Data Know-how Options Division to allow events to submit GPA notifications on-line for the primary time. The brand new system, which might be launched after additional testing, follows the discharge of a separate element of the e-GPA Gateway modernization in 2024.
Background
The GPA 2012 is a plurilateral settlement that goals to open authorities procurement markets amongst its events on a reciprocal foundation and to the extent agreed between GPA events. It additionally goals to make authorities procurement extra clear and to advertise good governance.
The Settlement at the moment has 22 events, protecting 49 WTO members, together with the European Union and its 27 member states (counted as one get together). Whereas open to all WTO members, it’s binding just for these members which have acceded to it. The record of present GPA events could be discovered right here.
Reciprocal market opening assists GPA events in buying items and companies that provide the very best worth for cash. The Settlement offers authorized ensures of non-discrimination for the products, companies and suppliers of GPA events in lined procurement actions, that are value an estimated USD 1.7 trillion yearly. Authorities procurement usually accounts for about 15 per cent of developed and creating economies’ GDP.
In October, an occasion was held on the WTO to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the GPA 2012 getting into into power in 2014. The occasion’s abstract can be discovered right here.
Subsequent assembly
The subsequent assembly of the Committee on Authorities Procurement is scheduled to happen on 18 June.
Share
