GPA/156  
 
14 September  2022 
(22-6788) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Government Procurement  Original: English  
 
 
REQUEST FOR OBSERVER STATUS  
COMMUNICATION FROM THE EUROPEAN BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT  
The following communication, dated 13 September  2022, has been received from the European Bank 
for Reconstruction and Development  with the request that it be circulated to the Committee on 
Government Procurement.  
 
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The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development's (the "EBRD") presents its compliments to 
the Parties to the Agreement on Government Pro curement (the "GPA") and has the honour to inform 
them of the following:  
The EBRD wishes to convey the request for observer status in the Committee on Government 
Procurement (the "Committee") of the World Trade Organization (the "WTO").  
As you may already know, the EBRD is an international financial institution established and acting 
on the basis of an international agreement known as the Agreement Establishing the European Bank 
for Reconstruction and Development dated 29 May 199 0, as amended (the "EBRD Agr eement"). The 
EBRD is based in London, United Kingdom and an integral aspect of its mission is to promote 
transition to market economies.  
In order to facilitate the EBRD's mission, the EBR D provides technical assistance to the development 
of commercial law s and institutions that shape market -based economies, create a sound investment 
climate and promote environmentally and socially sound and sustainable development. In 
government procurement, the EBRD promotes transparency and efficiency and recommends soun d 
government procurement policies in line with the values and principles of  the WTO GPA.  
Since 1997 the EBRD enjoys observer status in the WTO Trade Policy Review Body and the WTO 
Committee on Balance of Payments Restrictions. Further, in 2012, a dedicated technical cooperation 
programme — the EBRD GPA Technical Cooperation Facility - was set up to promote GPA accession 
with transition countries in the EBRDs regions of operation. This was a direct outcome of the growing 
interest in the GPA accessio n in the EBRD's regions of operation that required enhanced and more 
structured cooperation between the EBRD and the WTO Secretariat.  
Taking into account the EBRDs competence and direct interest in trade policy matters; its extensive 
work in promoting gove rnment procurement reforms and its vast experience in the implementation 
of projects in countries from its region of operation; its longstanding fruitful cooperation with the 
WTO Secretariat via the EBRD GPA Technical Cooperation Facility, the need for the  EBRD to request 
observer status in the Committee has arisen.  
Granting the EBRD observer status would substantially facilitate and improve the EBRD's technical 
cooperation activities and its work with the WTO Secretariat on increasing capacity and promoting 
government procurement reform in countries that are seeking to join the GPA as well as recently 
acceded GPA Pa rties implementing the GPA.  
GPA/156  
 
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  In light of the above considerations, I would be grateful if the Committee could consider our request 
at its early convenience.  
The EBRD avails itself of the opportunity to renew to the Committee and the GPA Parties the 
assurance of its highest consideration.  
Yours sincerely,  
Michael C. Strauss,  
General Counsel  
Office of the General Counsel  
European Bank for Rec onstruction and Development  
 
 
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