WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONGPA/75
15 July 2003
(03-3834)
Committee on Government Procurement
REPORT (NOVEMBER 2002 – JUNE 2003) OF THE
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT
I. GENERAL
1. This Report is submitted as an update to the 2002 Annual Report issued in November 2002
pursuant to Article XXIV:7(a) of the Agreement on Government Procurement.  The period covered in
this Report is November 2002 - June 2003.
2. Since the 2002 Annual Report, the Committee has held one formal meeting on
6 February 2003, and a series of informal meetings in February, May and June 2003.  At its meetingon 6 February 2003, the Committee considered the following agenda:  Modifications to the
Appendices to the Agreement;  Accessions;  Review of National Implementing Legislation;
Negotiations under Article XXIV:7;  and Other Business.  At the informal meetings, Parties pursued
their work pertaining to the negotiations under Article XXIV:7.  A further formal and informal
meeting is foreseen in the week of 18-22 August 2003 to pursue this work.
II. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AGREEMENT
Modifications to the Appendices to the Agreement
3. Since the 2002 Report, modifications pertaining to their respective Appendices notified by
Switzerland (GPA/W/225) became effective on 7 February 2003 (WT/Let/437);  by the European
Community, Iceland and Norway (GPA/W/226, 2 27 and 228, respectively) became effective on
11 January 2003 (WT/Let/438);  by Hong Kong, China (GPA/W/256) became effective on4 April 2003 (WT/Let/444);  and by Japan (GPA/W/252-254) became effective on 9 May 2003
(WT/Let/446).  Modifications have also been no tified by Korea (GPA/W/ 250);  Japan (GPA/W/255);
Switzerland (GPA/W/268);  and Hong Kong, China (G PA/W/269).  In respect of Korea's
modifications, the European Community (GPA/W/ 257) and the United States (GPA/W/258) sent
communications objecting to the proposed modifications going into effect, and the United Statessubmitted questions in GPA/W/264.  With respect to Japan's proposed modifications, the European
Community raised an objection in GPA/W/262.
4. With regard to the proposed modification by Japan to its Appendix I notified in GPA/W/91
pertaining to the NTT Communications Corporation, the United States had withdrawn its objection in
October 2001 (GPA/W/166) and Canada in Octobe r 2002 (GPA/W/213).  In a statement at the
February 2003 meeting, Japan reported that, despite further consultations with the European
Community, it had not been able possible for the two Parties to reach a consensus, and the European
Community confirmed that it maintained its objection to the proposed modifications going into effect.GPA/75
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5. With regard to the proposed modifications by Japan to its Appendix I in GPA/W/144, 145 and
146 in respect of the three Japanese railway companies, namely East Japan Railway Company,
Central Japan Railway Company, and West Japan Ra ilway Company, Canada withdrew its objections
in October 2002 (GPA/W/211) and February 2003 (G PA/W/246).  The United States (GPA/W/151)
and the European Community (GPA/W/155) continue to maintain their objections to the entry into
force of the modifications.  Japan's replies to follow-up questions put by the European Community in
GPA/W/245 were circulated in GPA/W/263.
6. With respect to Korea's proposed modifications  to its Appendix I (GPA/W/207), replies by
Korea to further questions put to it by the Unit ed States (GPA/W/242) and the European Community
(GPA/W/244) were circulated in GPA/W/266 and 267, respectively.
7. With respect to the proposed modifications to Annexes 1 and 3 of Appendix I by the United
States (GPA/W/153), replies by the United States to further questions put by Japan (GPA/W/195) and
the European Community (GPA/W/216) were ci rculated in GPA/W/223 and 243, respectively.
Thresholds
8. In accordance with the Decision on Modalities for Notifying Threshold Figures in National
Currencies (GPA/1, Annex 3), Ko rea (GPA/W/251) notified its threshold figures for 2003-2004.
Notification and review of national implementing legislation
9. The Committee completed its review of Iceland's national implementing legislation submitted
in GPA/69.
Consultations and dispute settlement
10. There were no matters raised under Article XXII of the Agreement during the reporting
period.
Procedural matters
11. In accordance with its Decision on Procedures for the Circulation and Derestriction of
Documents (GPA/1/Add.2), Pa rties agreed to the derestriction of the documents listed in GPA/74,
dated 13 March 2003.
III. ACCESSIONS
12. Jordan submitted its entity offer on 6 February 2003.  Questions and requests for information
received from the United States regarding this offer have been circulated.
13. With regard to the accession of Chinese Taipei, the Committee was informed at its
February 2003 meeting that all bilateral consultations had been successfully concluded with interesteddelegations on the substantive issues in December 2002.  The issue of nomenclatures remained
outstanding.
14. Estonia reported at the February 2003 meeting that its Public Procurement Act was being
reviewed, and was invited to duly communicate the changes, at the conclusion of the review, to the
Committee with an explanation of their impact on its offer.
15. Latvia reported at the February 2003 meeting that bilateral consultations were ongoing with
the European Community.GPA/75
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16. With respect to the accession of Bulgaria, Bulgaria's replies to follow-up questions put by
Canada (GPA/W/219), were circulated in GPA/W/249.  Bulgaria also provided further clarification in
respect of a follow-up question by Canada to a reply it had previously given.  Furthermore, at the
February 2003 meeting, Bulgaria reiterated its request for information pertaining to export
opportunities in the markets of GPA Parties for Bulgarian suppliers.
17. With respect the accession of Georgia, questions received from Canada and the European
Community regarding Georgia's replies to the Check list of Issues were circulated in GPA/W/230 and
GPA/W/232, respectively.  Georgia's replies to Ca nada's questions were circulated in GPA/W/237.
18. With regard to its accession, Slovenia reported at the February meeting that necessary
changes were being drafted in order to streamline its Public Procurement Act.
19. With regard to its accession, Albania's replies to questions put by Hong Kong, China;
Switzerland;  and Canada were circulated in GPA/W/238-241, respectively.
20. With respect to the accession of Moldova, questions were submitted by Hong Kong, China
(GPA/W/206) and the Europ ean Community (GPA/W/231).
21. The Kyrgyz Republic submitted replies (GPA/W/248) to questions put by the United States
(GPA/W/201).
22. Since the October 2002 meeting, no developments have been reported in relation to the
respective accessions of Oman, China, Croatia, Lithuania, Mongolia, and Panama.
23. With regard to work pertaining to streamlining the accession process, the Committee
considered at its February 2003 meeting a communication circulated by Chinese Taipei (GPA/W/224)
as well as a note by the Secretariat summarizing the points made at the October 2002 meeting.  The
Committee agreed to take up this issue within the wider context of its work on the revision of theAgreement.
IV. NEGOTIATIONS
24. Article XXIV:7(b) and (c) of the Agreement calls on the Parties, not later than the end of the
third year from the date of its entry into force,  to undertake further negotiations, with a view to
improving the Agreement and achieving the greatest possible extension of its coverage among allParties and eliminating any remaining discriminatory measures and practices.  During the period
covered by this report, Parties pursued their consultations at their formal meeting in February 2003,
and in further informal meetings held in February, May and June 2003, on the basis of proposals made
by delegations.  This work focused primarily on simplification and improvement of the Agreement,
but also discussed the other two elements.  An objective of the negotiations under Article XXIV:7 is
the expansion of the membership of the Agreement by making it more accessible to non-Parties.
25. At its meeting in May 2003, the Group considered in detail and heard comments made by
Parties on a joint submission by Canada, the European Community, Japan and the United States
(Job No. 3166).  It also had a preliminary discussion  on a proposal by Norway dealing with conflict of
interest (Job No. 7935).  At its meeting in June, the Group considered a revised joint submission
(Job No. 4479) by Canada, the European Community, Japan and the United States incorporating
comments and feedback by other Parties.  The Group further had a preliminary discussion based onsubmissions by the European Community on challenge procedures (Job No. 4654) and consultations
and dispute settlement (Job No. 4655), and by Switzerland on accession and developing countries
(Job No. 4287).GPA/75
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26. Following the June 2003 meeting, all the available proposals have been consolidated into a
single revised draft text which is to form the basis of further consultations in the period up to the
Cancun Ministerial Conference.
27. As regards the work pertaining to elements 2 and 3 of the work programme, namely the
elimination of discriminatory measures and the expansion of coverage, the Group agreed at itsinformal meeting in May 2003 to pursue this after the Cancun Ministerial Conference.
28. The Committee has set target dates of the Cancun Ministerial Conference for provisional
agreement on the revision of the provisions of the Agreement (other than coverage related issues) and
of 1 January 2005 to conclude the negotiations as a whole.
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