./.RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/WGTGP/M/4
8 April 1998
(98-1361)
Working Group on Transparency
in Government Procurement
REPORT ON THE MEETING OF 19-20 FEBRUARY 1998
Note by the Secretariat
1. The Working Group on Transparency in Government Procurement held its fourth meeting on
19 and 20 February 1998 under the Chairmanship of Ambassador Werner Corrales Leal.
2. The substantive agenda for this meeting comprised transparency-related provisions in existing
international instruments on government procurement and national procedures and practices.  In
addition, the Working Group considered requests for observer status by internationalintergovernmental organizations.  Under "other business", the Working Group considered a proposal
for a demonstration session on the use of information technology, a communication from Japan,
reporting by the Group to the 1998 Ministerial Conference and the dates of future meetings.
A. TRANSPARENCY-RELATED PROVISIONS IN EXISTING INTERNATIONAL
INSTRUMENTS ON GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT AND NATIONALPROCEDURES AND PRACTICES
3. For its consideration of this agenda item, the Working Group had before it an informal note
by the Chair, entitled "List of Issues Raised and Po ints Made", listing the issues that had been raised,
together with the points made on these issues, under each of the items discussed at the Group's
meeting of 3-4 November 1997 (Job No. 73).  Also before the Working Group was the note by theSecretariat,  "Synthesis of the Information Availa ble on Transparency-Related Provisions in Existing
International Instruments on Government Procurement Procedures and National Practices"
(WT/WGTGP/W/6).
4. The representatives of Hong Kong, China, the Czech Republic
, Uruguay  and Australia
summarized the main points of new submissions containing factual information on their national
procedures and practices (WT/WGTGP/W/10, 12, 13 and 14 respectively).
5. The representative of Australia introduced a written contribution relating to principles of
transparency in government procurement (Job No. 136), and the representative of  the United States
two contributions respectively on review mechan isms and transparency in procurement methods
(WT/WGTGP/W/15 and 16).  The Group was also presented with a communication from the Chair of
the APEC Government Procurement Expert Group (WT/WGTGP/W/11).
6. The Working Group pursued its detailed discussion, taking up in turn the subject of each
section of the informal note by the Chair, "List of Issues Raised and Points Made".  The points made
will be reflected in a revision of the informal note in the light of the discussion at the meeting and the
written submissions made by various delegations on these issues.  The revised note1 would be without
                                                     
1 To be circulated with Job No. 1860.WT/WGTGP/M/4
Page 2
prejudice to whether the position of any delegation and, in particular, to whether the Working Group
would decide to include or exclude any particular aspect addressed in it from the elements that it
might eventually develop for inclusion in an approp riate agreement.  The Chairman urged delegations,
wherever possible, to make written contributions on the issues before the Group prior to its next
meeting.
B. REQUESTS FOR OBSERVER STATUS FROM INTERGOVERNMENTAL
ORGANIZATIONS
7. The Working Group considered requests for observer status received from the UNCTAD,  the
OECD, the SELA and the OIC (Organization for Islamic Conference).  It agreed to take up the
question of observer status for UNCTAD at its next meeting and to revert to the requests by other
international intergovernmental organizations in the light of the consultations that were currently
being held by the Chairman of the General Council on this matter.
C. OTHER BUSINESS
(i) Demonstration on the use of information technology
8. Following a suggestion by the representative of Canada, the Group noted   that the Secretariat
would organize, in conjunction with interested delegations, a demonstration session on the application
of information technology in the area of transparency  in government procurement, to be held the day
after the next meeting of the Group.  Members interested in making presentations on the operation ofthe systems in their countries were invited to contact the Secretariat.
(ii) Japan:  transparency-related proposal by Japanese Central Council on Construction
Contracting Business to the Government of Japan
9. The representative of Japan informed the Working Group of a transparency-related proposal
submitted by the Central Council on Construction Contracting Business of Japan to the Government
of Japan (Job No. 939).    In response to a request by the delegation of Mexico, the Secretariat was
requested by the Chair to provide the Group with any information on work relating to transparency inthe area of procurement of construction services in the context of the Working Party on GATS Rules.
(iii) Report to the 1998 Ministerial Conference
10. The Working Group noted that, at its meeting of 10 December 1997, the General Council had
agreed that its report to the 1998 Ministerial Conference would consist of the 1997 Annual Reports of
the General Council and its subsidiary bodies together with a brief update report of the General
Council concerning developments in the first months of 1998, and that Chairpersons of subsidiary
bodies would be invited to report orally on work done since 1997 at its final meeting before the
Ministerial Conference to the General Council (W T/GC/M/25).  The Working Group noted that, while
the oral presentation would be made on the Chair' s own responsibility, it would be circulated in
advance to Members for comments.
(iv) Dates of meetings
11. The Working Group agreed  that its next  meeting would be held on 22-23 June and its
autumn meeting on 8-9 October 1998.  The demonstration session on information technology would
be held on 24 June 1998.
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