RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE GPA/M/5
11April 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-1536)
Committee onGovernment Procurement
MINUTES OFTHE MEETING HELD ON24FEBRUARY 1997
Chairman: Mr.Harald Ernst (Switzerland)
1. Thefollowing agenda wasadopted:
A. Election ofChairperson
B. Applications forobservership
C. Modifications toAppendix ItotheAgreement
D. Loose-leaf system ofAppendices
E. Notification ofnational implementing legislation
F. Accessions:
- Hong Kong
- Liechtenstein
- Chinese Taipei
G. Procedures forthecirculation andderestriction ofdocuments
H. Information technology
I. Modalities forthethree-year review
J. Other business
(i) United States 'sub-federal legislation ongovernment procurement
(ii) Japanese Ministry ofTransport procurement ofsatellite navigation systems
(iii) Newly acceding WTO Members
(iv) Dates offuture meetings.GPA/M/5
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A. ELECTION OFCHAIRPERSON
2. TheCommittee re-elected Mr.Harald Ernst asitsChairman andagreed that,incasethe
Chairman wasabsent fromanymeeting orpartthereof, itwould electaninterim Chairperson forthat
meeting orpartofthatmeeting rather thanelecting aVice-Chairperson.
B. APPLICATIONS FOR OBSERVERSHIP
3. TheCommittee agreed togrant observer status totheGovernments ofArgentina, Bulgaria
andHong Kong pursuant tothedecision ithadtaken onthismatter (GPA/1, Annex 1)andinresponse
totherequests received from those countries (GPA/W/30, 37and38).
4. TheChairman saidthattheCommittee needed totakeaction ontherequests forobserver status
which ithadreceived from theEuropean Free Trade Association (EFTA), theInter-American
Development Bank(IADB), theInternational Monetary Fund(IMF) andtheOrganization forEconomic
Co-operation andDevelopment (OECD) (GPA/W/36). TheCommittee 'sdecision ontheparticipation
ofobservers andtherelevant WTO guidelines were contained respectively indocuments GPA/1,
Annex 1,paragraph 5andWT/L/161, Annex 3.
5. TheCommittee, noting thattheIMFhadbeengiven observer status intheGeneral Council
andcertain other WTO bodies byvirtue oftheAgreement between theIMFandtheWTO (WT/L/195,
Annex I),agreed togrant observer status totheIMFinaccordance withtheterms ofparagraph 6of
thatAgreement.
6. TheCommittee, noting thattheOECD hadbeengiven observer status intheGeneral Council
(WT/GC/M/18), agreed togrant observer status totheOECD onthebasisofreciprocity withrespect
toaccess toproceedings, documents andother aspects ofobserver status.
7. TheCommittee agreed topostpone itsconsideration oftherequests forobserver status bythe
European FreeTrade Association (EFTA) andtheInter-American Development Bank (IADB) until
aftertheWTO General Council hadtaken adecision ontheobserver status ofthose organizations.
C. MODIFICATIONS TOAPPENDIX ITOTHE AGREEMENT
8. TheChairman informed theCommittee that,indocuments GPA/W/27 andGPA/W/31, dated
4October1996and5December1996respectively,JapanhadnotifiedproposedrectificationstoAnnex3
ofitsAppendix I.Since noobjections hadbeen raised within theprescribed time-period, these
rectifications hadbecome effective asof5November 1996 andasof4January 1997, respectively.
Certified copies hadbeendistributed indocuments WT/Let/119 and134.
9. TheChairman alsoinformed theCommittee thattheEuropean Community andtheUnited States
hadnotified modifications toAppendix Iconsequent ontheenlargement oftheEuropean Communities
on1January 1995toinclude Austria, Finland andSweden. Therelevant notification hadbeencirculated
indocument GPA/W/32 of17December 1996. Since noobjections hadbeenraised, thesemodifications
hadbecome effective on16January 1997. Certified copies ofthemodifications hadsubsequently been
circulated bytheSecretariat inWT/Let/135.
10. Therepresentative oftheEuropean Community saidthatcertain changes warranted by
developmentsthathadtakenplaceintheadministrativeorganizationofthegovernmentsofsomeMemberGPA/M/5
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States, including theproposed changes toAppendix IofSweden ascirculated indocuments GPR/W/133
andGPR/W/139, would benotified before thenextmeeting oftheCommittee.
11. TheChairman recalled thattheCanadian Schedule offered tocover entities inalltenProvinces
onthebasis ofcommitments tobereceived from Provincial Governments, withafinallisting tobe
provided within 18months aftertheconclusion oftheAgreement. Therepresentative ofCanada said
thathisdelegation 'sposition asoutlined inhisstatements atthelasttwomeetings oftheInterim
Committee andthemeetings oftheCommittee in1996 remained unchanged. Therepresentative of
theEuropean Community saidthathisdelegation remained concerned thatCanada hadnot,intheview
ofhisdelegation, honoured thecommitment thatithadundertaken under itsAnnex 2ofAppendix I
regarding sub-central levels ofgovernment.
12. Therepresentative ofSwitzerland saidthatSwitzerland andtheUnited States hadrecently
concluded abilateral agreement which would enable Switzerland tohaveaccess topublic procurement
bythirty-seven States intheUnited States andtheUnited States tohaveaccess toprocurement atthe
cantonal level inSwitzerland. Furthermore, Switzerland andtheUnited States would open their
procurement markets intheareas ofelectricity, ports andairports. Theagreement wasintheprocess
ofbeing approved bytheSwiss Parliament.
13. TheCommittee tooknoteofthestatements made andagreed torevert tothisagenda itemat
itsnextmeeting.
D. LOOSE-LEAF SYSTEM FOR THE APPENDICES
14. TheChairman saidthattheSecretariat hadprepared anupdated draftsetofAppendices, with
aviewtoproviding astarting pointfortheloose-leaf system (GPA/W/35). Asagreed bytheCommittee
andasindicated inthecover notetothedocument, delegations had60daysfrom thedateofits
distribution toreview thedraftloose-leaf system. Those delegations wishing tomake comments on
theaccuracy andcompleteness oftheconsolidation oftheAppendices bytheSecretariat wereinvited
todosoassoonaspossible. TheSecretariat would bring suchcomments totheattention ofallother
Members oftheCommittee incorrigenda toGPA/W/35. Intheevent thatanyMember oftheCommittee
considered thatanysuchcomments could raisepoints ofdifference thatneeded toberesolved inthe
Committee, thecertification oftheloose-leaf schedules might bepostponed untilaftertheCommittee
haddiscussed thematter atitssubsequent meeting.
15. TheChairman alsosaidthatanyfurther rectifications andmodifications totheAppendices
could onlybeincorporated inthefirstissue oftheloose-leaf system iftheprocedures fornotification
andcertification ofsuchrectifications were tobecompleted before theexpiry ofthedeadline for
comments onthedraftcirculated bytheSecretariat (GPA/W/35). Asusual, notifications ofanysuch
rectifications andnotifications would becirculated intheGPA/W/- series ofdocuments.
16. TherepresentativeoftheUnitedStatessaidthatthenotificationofthebilateralagreementbetween
Switzerland andtheUnited States could notbesubmitted before April 1997(paragraph 12).Thefirst
issueoftheloose-leaf system should, therefore, bedelayed untilafterthenotification andcertification
oftherelevant changes intheschedules ofSwitzerland andtheUnited States.
17. Therepresentative oftheEuropean Community saidthattheEuropean Community would notify
anumber ofchanges toitsAnnex 1inthecoming months (paragraph 10). Thedateofissue ofthe
firstversion oftheloose-leaf system should therefore bepostponed to1July1997 inorder toenable
those changes tobeincorporated.GPA/M/5
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18. Therepresentative ofJapan saidthathisauthorities would notify certain rectifications relating
toAnnex 3entities, sothattherelevant changes could bereflected inthefirstissue oftheloose-leaf
schedule.
19. Inthelightoftheabove comments, theCommittee agreed topostpone thedateofcertification
ofthefirstissueoftheloose-leaf schedule to1July1997. Italsoagreed thatanyamendments tothe
Appendices thatweretobeincorporated should benotified before 1June1997 inorder toallow the
approval andcertification tobecompleted by1July1997.
20. TheCommittee agreed totheprocedures suggested inparagraph 4ofthenotebytheSecretariat
(GPA/W/35) withrespect tosubsequent modifications totheloose-leaf system ofschedules.
21. Therepresentative ofJapan saidthatgiving theloose-leaf system ofAppendices legaleffect
wasunder legalscrutiny inhiscountry withaviewtoestablishing thatthisfellwithin theadministrative
responsibility oftheexecutive, given thattheDiethadapproved theoriginal textoftheAgreement
withtheAppendices. Inresponse tocomments fromadelegation andfromtheChair, herecognized
theagreement reached intheCommittee onthismatter (GPA/M/2, paragraph 31)andthatthiswas
essentially aninternal issue forhisGovernment. Thisinternal scrutiny would becompleted before
thefirstissue oftheloose-leaf schedule.
22. TheCommittee tooknoteofthestatements made under thisagenda itemandagreed thatthe
firstcertified copyoftheloose-leaf system reflect theAppendices astheywould stand on1July1997.
E. NOTIFICATION OFNATIONAL IMPLEMENTING LEGISLATION
23. TheChairman saidthat,atitsmeeting of4June1996, theCommittee hadagreed thatParties
would notify national implementing legislation, including responses tothechecklist ofissues
(GPA/1/Add.1), notlaterthan31December 1996. Areminder hadbeensenttodelegations inAirgram
WTO/AIR/480 of1November 1996. Asof24February, onlytwodelegations -Korea andNorway -
hadnotified theirnational implementing legislation andresponses tothechecklist ofissues (GPA/10
andGPA/12).
24. Therepresentative oftheUnited States saidthatherdelegation would submit anotification
ofitsnational implementing legislation inthenearfuture. Shealsosaidthat,onceasignificant number
ofnotifications hadbeen submitted, theCommittee could proceed with anexamination ofthe
implementing legislation ofParties onthebasisofanexchange ofwritten questions andanswers. The
representative oftheEuropean Community supported thissuggestion.
25. Therepresentative ofKorea saidthat,notwithstanding thatKorea hadonlybeenapplying the
Agreement since 1January 1997, hisdelegation hadalready submitted anotification. Those other
Parties whohadlonger experience withtheimplementation oftheAgreement should notdelay the
notification oftheirlegislation.
26. Therepresentatives ofCanada, theEuropean Community, Israel andSwitzerland saidthattheir
delegations would submit theirrespective notifications ofimplementing legislation inthenearfuture.
27. Therepresentative ofJapan saidthathisauthorities were preparing Japan'snotification of
implementing legislation. Japan hadmade anotification ontheestablishment ofitsindependent review
body before theentry intoforce oftheAgreement (GPA/IC/W/37).GPA/M/5
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28. Therepresentative ofNorway saidthat,inherdelegation 'sunderstanding, interested suppliers
from Parties totheAgreement mayresort tonational bidchallenge procedures alsointhose Parties
thathadnotyetnotified their national implementing legislation. Therepresentative ofthe
European Community saidthattheconformity ofaParty'snational implementing legislation withthe
Agreement could bequestioned byother Parties even though thatParty hadnotyetnotified its
implementing legislation.
29. TheCommittee tooknoteofthestatements made under thisitem. Itagreed torevert tothis
matter atitsnextmeeting onthebasisofaninformal notebytheSecretariat describing theprocedures
forreview ofimplementing legislation developed byother WTO bodies.
F. ACCESSIONS
- Hong Kong
30. TheCommittee tooknoteofawritten statement byHong Kong ontheelectricity sector which
hadbeencirculated inGPA/11.
31. Therepresentative ofHong Kong saidthatHong Kong wasintheprocess ofcompleting the
domestic procedures foritsaccession totheAgreement before theexpiry ofthevalidity period ofthe
Committee 'sDecision (GPA/9). Hisauthorities werecurrently examining Article XXoftheAgreement
withaviewtoestablishment ofabidchallenge system inHong Kong andhadtheintention ofcompleting
thenecessary procedures fortheapplication ofArticle XXfullybefore theone-year period provided
intheDecision expired.
32. Inresponse toaquestion bytherepresentative ofCanada, therepresentative ofHong Kong
saidthat,while Hong Kong wasendeavouring tocomplete thedomestic procedures toensure thatHong
Kong acceded totheAgreement before theendofthevalidity period oftheDecision, forthetimebeing
nosetdateforaccession could begiven.
- Liechtenstein
33. TheChairman saidthat, interms ofitsparagraph 3,theDecision oftheCommittee of
27February 1996ontheAccession ofLiechtenstein would expire oneyearafterthedateofitsadoption,
i.e.on27February 1997, unless ithadbeenextended bymutual consent between theCommittee and
Liechtenstein (GPA/3). Liechtenstein hadrecently requested anextension ofsixmonths, i.e.until
27August 1997, forthedepositing ofitsinstrument ofaccession (GPA/W/34).
34. Therepresentative ofLiechtenstein saidthatLiechtenstein wasnotinaposition todeposit its
instrument ofaccession before theexpiry oftheDecision onAccession ofLiechtenstein on
27February 1997. Parliamentary elections hadbeenheldinLiechtenstein inFebruary 1997. The
Parliament, once reinstalled, would resume itsdebate onthenewLiechtenstein ActonPublic
Procurement aswellastheaccession ofLiechtenstein totheAgreement, possibly innextApril orMay.
Following thedebate intheParliament, thepeople ofLiechtenstein would haveonemonth todecide
whether tocallareferendum. Inthatevent, thecompletion ofinternal procedures fortheaccession
ofLiechtenstein would beextended byatleastanother twomonths. Herdelegation, therefore, requested
asix-month extension ofthetime-period fordepositing Liechtenstein 'sinstrument ofaccession.
35. TheCommittee agreed toextend theperiod ofvalidity ofitsDecision ontheAccession of
Liechtenstein bysixmonths, i.e.until27August 1997.GPA/M/5
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- Application foraccession byChinese Taipei
36. Therepresentative ofChinese Taipei saidthathisdelegation hadsubmitted asecond revised
offerwhich wasaimed atconcluding thebilateral consultations heldwithvarious Parties inapractical
manner (GPA/SPEC/1/Rev.1). Inthissecond revision ofitsoffer, hisdelegation hadtrieditsbest
torespond totherequests thatinterested Parties hadmade during thepastbilaterals. Major areas of
progress inthepresent revision oftheofferincluded asignificant reduction ofthresholds, thedeletion
ofreservations forthewithdrawal ofacovered entity from thelistofoffers afterprivatization, the
reduction ofitems tobeexcluded fromthecoverage ofelectricity andtransportation projects, andthe
inclusion ofthegovernment-owned telecommunication company. Ithadnotbeenaneasytaskforhis
authorities tomove thisfar.Theyhadhadnumerous andlengthy internal consultations withthevarious
government authorities, procuring entities andinterested groups. Hisdelegation sincerely wished that
interested Parties could conclude thebilaterals withChinese Taipei based upon thisoffer. Heasked
anyinterested Party whomight wishtoprovide further comments orspecific concerns todothisin
awritten form andassoonaspossible.
37. Inaddition totherevision ofitsoffer, Chinese Taipei hadmade significant progress inits
government procurement régime. First, asof1November 1996, aGovernment Procurement Gazette
hadbeenofficially published, afteraten-month trialperiod, bythePublic Construction Commission
forpublicizing tender andaward notices oftheprocuring entities atalllevels. Second, asof
1January 1997, atransitional dispute settlement mechanism hadbeen established inthePublic
ConstructionCommissiontohearbidchallengesraisedbydissatisfiedsuppliers,andtohelpthesuppliers
andthecontractors tosettle contract disputes byreconciliation. AnAPEC seminar onbidchallenge
procedures would beheldinTaipei from 31March to1April 1997. Third, adraft Government
Procurement lawhadbeenapproved bythePremier 'sOffice inDecember 1996, andhadsubsequently
beensenttothelegislative body on23January 1997. Thedraft Lawwasinconformity withthe
requirements oftheAgreement. When itwould beenacted, atransitional period ofoneyearwould
beneeded fortraining andforswitching fromthecurrent system tothenewsystem. Hisdelegation
hoped thattheimprovements made byChinese Taipei toitsofferwould facilitate Parties 'support for
itsaccession.
38. Therepresentative oftheEuropean Community saidthathisdelegation hadheldaseries of
bilateral discussions withthedelegation ofChinese Taipei. Hisdelegation would provide itscomments
toChinese Taipei when itwasready afterexamination oftherevised offer.
39. Therepresentative ofKorea saidthathisdelegation hadheldbilateral consultations withthe
delegation ofChinese Taipei butthese werenotyetconcluded. Korea would holdfurther discussions
withChinese Taipei onthebasis oftherevised offer.
40. Therepresentative ofSwitzerland saidthathisdelegation hadheldbilateral consultations with
thedelegation ofChinese Taipei inDecember 1996 andwould hold further consultations in
February 1997.
41. Inresponse toaquestion bytherepresentative ofSwitzerland, therepresentative of
ChineseTaipeiconfirmedthatthethresholdsforconstructionserviceswouldbereducedtoSDR5million
after twoyears.
42. TheCommittee tooknoteofthestatements made under thisitem.GPA/M/5
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G. PROCEDURES FOR THE CIRCULATION AND DERESTRICTION OFDOCUMENTS
43. TheCommittee adopted adecision onprocedures onthecirculation andderestriction of
documents (GPA/1/Add 2)onthebasisofanotebytheSecretariat onthealignment oftheCommittee 's
relevantprocedureswiththoseadoptedbytheGeneralCouncilfortheWTOon18July1996(GPA/W/33
andWT/L/160/Rev.1). Itrequested theSecretariat toprepare andcirculate alistofdocuments eligible
forconsideration forderestriction (GPA/W/39).
44. TheCommittee alsoagreed thattheprocedures onthecirculation andderestriction ofits
documents would apply tothose documents oftheInterim Committee onGovernment Procurement
thathadnotyetbeenderestricted. TheSecretariat would alsocirculate alistofdocuments oftheInterim
Committee eligible forconsideration forderestriction.
H&I.MODALITIES FOR THE THREE-YEAR REVIEW OFTHE AGREEMENT AND
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
45. TheCommittee heldinformal consultations pursuant totheagreement, initsReport tothe
Ministerial Conference ofDecember 1996, toundertake anearly review, starting in1997 withan
examination ofmodalities, withaviewtotheimplementation ofArticle XXIV:7(b) and(c)(GPA/8,
paragraph 22).Inthese consultations theCommittee alsotookupitemIonInformation Technology.
Asaresult oftheseconsultations, itwasagreed asfollows: (i)theChairman would drawupaninformal
checklist ofissues thathadbeenraised byParties during theconsultations, forcirculation ingoodtime
before theCommittee 'snextmeeting; (ii)Parties would beinvited tosubmit before theCommittee 's
nextmeeting papers containing theirsuggestions concerning thereview oftheAgreement; (iii)prior
toitsnextmeeting, theCommittee would holdfurther informal consultations onthisitem; (iv)inthose
consultations delegations could come forward withproposals concerning theissue ofinformation
technology, taking intoaccount theSecretariat document circulated inGPA/W/25.
46. With respect toinformation technology, itwasnoted thatthedelegations ofCanada, Korea
andNorway hadprovided answers totheRevised Questionnaire onInformation Technology circulated
indocument GPA/W/24 andAddenda 1-3. Other delegations wereurged tosubmit theirreplies as
soonaspossible.
J. OTHER BUSINESS
(i) United States 'sub-federal legislation ongovernment procurement
47. Therepresentative oftheEuropean Community saidthattheEuropean Community hadserious
concerns about thelegislation enacted on25June1996 bytheCommonwealth ofMassachusetts Act
ofJune1996, i.e.theActregulating Statecontracts withcompanies doing business withorinMyanmar.
Thislegislation forbade Massachusetts Stateagencies, Stateauthorities, theHouse ofRepresentatives
ortheStateSenate tosignnewcontracts ortorenew existing contracts withcompanies doing business
withorinMyanmar. TheEuropean Community wasoftheopinion thatthislegislation constituted
abreach oftherulesoftheAgreement onGovernment Procurement forthefollowing reasons. First,
itviolated Article VIII(b) oftheAgreement, given thatitimposed conditions onatendering company
which were notessential toensure thefirm'scapability tofulfil thecontract. Second, itinfringed
Article XoftheAgreement because itimposed qualification criteria based onpolitical rather than
economic considerations. Third, theActwasincontradiction withArticle XIII:4, totheextent that
thestatute provided fortheaward ofcontracts tobebased onpolitical, instead ofeconomic,
considerations.GPA/M/5
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48. When concluding theAgreement, theUnited States hadaccepted tocover theState of
Massachusetts under itsofferofsub-federal agencies inorder tobalance theEuropean Community 's
offertotheUnited States. Bylimiting access ofEuropean Community suppliers totheprocurement
ofMassachusetts State agencies, State authorities, theHouse ofRepresentatives ortheState Senate
inMassachusetts, theUnited States hadreduced itsoffer under theAgreement. TheEuropean
Community wasalsoconcerned about similar legislation which wascurrently under consideration by
theState ofMassachusetts withregard toIndonesia. Inaddition, theEuropean Community was
concerned about similar legislation introduced recently bytheStateofConnecticut andsimilar initiatives
which hadbeentaken byother sub-federal authorities.
49. TheEuropean Community wasoftheopinion thatthistypeofaction reduced theUnited States
offerunder theAgreement. TheEuropean Community requested theGovernment oftheUnited States
totakethenecessary measures inorder tosafeguard theinterests ofCommunity companies whomight
beaffected bysuchlegislation orsimilar actions. Inaddition, theEuropean Community wished to
befullyandimmediately informed onthecourse ofaction thattheGovernment oftheUnited States
hadundertaken orintended toundertake inorder toprevent theproliferation ofsuchlegislation and
toremedy anyharm caused totheinterest ofCommunity companies. TheEuropean Community fully
reserved itsrights under theWTO dispute settlement procedures. Inaddition, theEuropean Community
continued toexamine thecompatibility ofsuchlegislation withtheGATS.
50. Therepresentative ofJapan saidthatthenotification oflaws andregulations andother
administrative measures should extend toproviding information onanyrestrictions onparticipation
ofsuppliers inprocuring procedures oraward ofcontracts atalllevels ofgovernment andcover such
relevant factors asthedegree ofsuppliers 'foreign affiliation. Furthermore, Japan believed thatcentral
government authorities hadtheultimate responsibility fortheimplementation oftheAgreement atsub-
central levels ofgovernment. Inthisrespect, theJapanese authorities hadconcerns about certain specific
lawsandmeasures bywhich certain entities ofStategovernments intheUnited States conducted their
procurement activities. Pursuant toArticle XIX, paragraphs 1and3oftheAgreement, hisauthorities
planned torequest theUnited States Government toprovide information ontherelevant lawsand
measures andtoexplain theirconsistency withtherelevant provisions oftheAgreement.
51. Therepresentative oftheUnited States saidthathisauthorities would beinformed oftheissues
raised.
52. TheCommittee tooknoteofthestatements made.
(ii) Japanese Ministry ofTransport procurement ofsatellite navigation systems
53. Therepresentative oftheEuropean Community saidthattheEuropean Community hadserious
concerns about thetendering procedures thathadbeenundertaken bytheJapanese Ministry ofTransport
inconnection withMSAS, i.e.theglobal navigation system forairtraffic management. Initstender,
theMinistry ofTransport hadpublished specifications which explicitly requested interoperability with
thespecifications oftheUnited States system, called theWAAS system, which wereknown onlyto
thesuppliers ofthatcountry. TheEuropean Global Navigation Satellite System had,therefore, been
defacto excluded. TheEuropean Community believed thattheMSAS procurement procedure was
subject totherulesoftheAgreement, given thattheMinistry ofTransport wascovered under Japan's
Annex 1toAppendix I.TheEuropean Community wasoftheopinion thatJapan hadnotfulfilled
theobligations imposed bytheAgreement 'srules ontechnical specifications. Indeed, bypublishing
specifications withdirect reference totheUnited States system, andthereby effectively excluding
European Community suppliers, theMinistry ofTransport hadviolated Article IIIoftheAgreementGPA/M/5
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onnon-discrimination andArticle VI:2. Thelatter Article stipulated thattechnical specifications
prescribed byprocuring entities should notbebased ondesign ordescriptive characteristics, butrather
onperformance. Furthermore, paragraph Article VI:3stated thatthere should benorequirement or
reference toaparticular trademark, tradename, etc.. Inaddition, given thattheWAAS specifications
werenotpublic, thepublished tender wasnotinlinewiththerequirements setoutinArticle XII:2(g),
which stipulated thatthetender documentation should provide acomplete description oftheproducts
andservices required orofanyrequirements including technical specifications andconformity
certification. TheEuropean Community requested thattheJapanese authorities takethenecessary
measures withaviewtore-publishing thetender inorder toallow Community producers toparticipate
inthetender procedure andthattheJapanese authorities taketheappropriate steps inorder toensure
that,infuture, tender specifications would bedrafted andpublished insuchawaythatinteroperability
withsystemsofferedbyCommunitysupplierswasguaranteed.TheEuropeanCommunityfullyreserved
itsrights under theWTO dispute settlement procedures.
54. Therepresentative ofJapan saidthattheJapanese authorities werereviewing thematter inhis
capital. Hisremarks should therefore betaken aspreliminary ones. TheMinistry ofTransport -an
Annex 1entity -conducted procurement ofsatellite navigation systems through open tendering
procedures. Thecontract hadbeenawarded on7February 1997tooneofthetwodomestic suppliers
which hadsubmitted tenders. Hisauthorities considered thatthetendering process hadbeenundertaken
inamanner consistent withalltheprovisions oftheAgreement. TheJapanese delegation would be
ready torespond promptly toanyadditional questions ofalegalortechnical nature fromanyinterested
Party.
55. TheCommittee tooknoteofthestatements.
(iii) Newly acceding WTO Members
56. TheChairman saidthatthereport oftheWorking Party onAccession ofBulgaria included
acommitment byBulgaria that,upon accession, itwould notify theCommittee onGovernment
Procurement ofitsintention toaccede totheAgreement onGovernment Procurement andseekobserver
status. Itfurther confirmed thatBulgaria would initiate negotiations formembership intheAgreement
bytabling anentity offer prior to30June1997 andthat,iftheresults ofthenegotiations were
satisfactory totheinterests ofBulgaria andtheotherParties totheAgreement, Bulgaria would complete
negotiationsformembershipintheAgreementby31December1997(WT/ACC/BGR/5,paragraph80).
57. Therepresentative ofBulgaria saidthathisauthorities intended toinitiate negotiations for
accession totheAgreement, ifpossible, bytheendof1997. TheBulgarian Parliament hadadopted
anational lawongovernment procurement on16January 1997, atranslation ofwhich would be
communicated totheWTO Secretariat.
58. TheCommittee tooknoteofthestatements made.
(iv) Dates ofthenextmeetings oftheCommittee onGovernment Procurement
59. TheCommittee agreed toschedule itsnexttwomeetings, tentatively, on23May and
29September 1997, ontheunderstanding thatthesedatesmight bemodified inthelightofdevelopments
inother WTO bodies 'work ongovernment procurement matters.