GPA/W/326  
 
19 March 2014  
(14-1742)  Page: 1/309  
Committee on Government Procurement    
 
 APPROVAL AND ISSUANCE OF UPDATED LOOSE-LEAF SCHEDULES  
TO THE REVISED AGREEMENT ON GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT 
NOTE FROM THE SECRETARIAT 
As advised in the Chairman's fax dated 28 January 2014 and in the Secretariat's fax dated 
6 March 2014, an updated version of the GPA schedules (Appendices I-IV) is being prepared in 
loose-leaf format  in order to reflect the market access commitments of those Parties that will 
become bound by the revised Agreement upon it s entry into force on 6 April 2014. The draft 
schedules for those Parties are attached (see Attachments A-O).1 Parties are invited to submit 
comments, if any, to the Secretariat by c.o.b Thursday, 27 March . A formal meeting  for 
adoption of the loose-leaf schedules will be held probably on the afternoon of Tuesday, 1 April . 
The Secretariat is available for any questions or queries that delegations may have, and Geneva-
based delegates wishing to schedule meetings with the Secretariat team for a walk-through of individual Parties' schedules are invited to contact us ( robert.anderson@wto.org ; 
anna.mueller@wto.org ; and/or audrey.franchet@wto.org ).  
For delegations' background, the GPA loose-le af system was established pursuant to the 
Committee's Decision of 4 June 1996 (GPA/M/2), and was certified on 1 March 2000 
(WT/Let/330).2 This system was developed to facilitate easy notification and implementation of 
modifications to Parties' Appendices, consistent with relevant provisions of the Agreement, through the insertion, where appropriate, of replacement or  additional pages in the loose-leaf system. Once 
they have become effective, certified true copi es of these replacement or additional pages are 
circulated in the WT/Let/- series.
3 These WT/Let/- documents are also registered with the 
Secretariat of the United Nations (UN) pursuant to Article 102 of the UN Charter. An up-to-date 
copy of the entire set of loose-leaf schedules is also made available to the general public through 
the WTO website. 
To the Secretariat's understanding, Parties consider that the loose-leaf system is an efficient way 
of notifying and recording Parties' market access commitments and related information over time, 
and provides a high degree of legal certainty and se curity. The system is also in line with the WTO 
Secretariat's efforts to reduce paper burden, in that it avoids the need for reprinting of large batches of pages when particular changes are made. 
The attached drafts of the loose-leaf schedules under the revised Agreement are based directly on, 
and are intended to give effect to, the commitments set out in document GPA/113 of 2 April 2012. 
Nonetheless, and as previously advised, in preparing them, the Secretariat has found it appropriate to also include (subject to the appr oval of delegations), a limited number of changes 
as compared to GPA/113. To begin with, re-pagination and other formatting changes have been 
necessary in order to put the schedules into a loose-leaf format and to reflect new document formats that have been adopted by the WTO Secretariat (these are system-wide requirements; 
documents can no longer be issued in the old formats). The formatting changes that have been 
implemented are also expected to facilitate work on the e-GPA project (to create an integrated 
market access information tool for the GPA Parties and their businesses) by reflecting the coverage 
                                               
1 The Appendices I-IV of additional Parties will be circulated as Addenda to this document upon receipt 
of their respective instruments of acce ptance of the Protocol of Amendment. 
2 See also GPA/M/13, dated 13 July 2000, and the Secretariat's note describing the procedures for 
future changes to the loose-leaf system (GPA/W/110, dated 7 March 2010). 
3 In the footer of each new or replacement page is indicated its date, which is that on which the changes 
recorded in it became effective and the symbol of the document with which the certifications was transmitted (WT/Let/...). GPA/W/326 
 
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  commitments in an appropriate electronic format. To the full knowledge of the Secretariat, these 
formatting changes have not affected  Parties' commitments in any way. 
Second, and more substantively, a number of delegations have indicated to the Secretariat 
a need for updates and/or minor corrections to be made to their Appendix I Annexes 
under the revised Agreement (as compared to the commitments in GPA/113), if possible 
by the date of entry into force of the revised Agreement.  These relate to: (i) modifications 
that have been certified, or are expected to be  certified very shortly, under the existing (1994) 
Agreement, and which need also to be carried over to the revised Agreement; and (ii) minor 
clerical errors that require correction. Incorporation of these modifications and corrections to the schedules now would obviate the need for relevant  modifications to be made after the revised 
Agreement comes into force. The Secretariat has done its best to reflect these updates and 
corrections in the attached pages in an appropriate way and, again, subject to Parties' approval. 
For ease of reference, both the general (formatting) and Party-specific modifications that have 
been made to relevant Parties' Appendix I Annexe s as compared to the Offers reflected in GPA/113 
are specified in detail below. 
As to the process to be followed to implement the modifications and issue the schedules, Parties 
are invited to check the attached draft loose-leaf Appendices and to notify comments, if any, to 
the Secretariat ( robert.anderson@wto.org ; anna.mueller@wto.org ; and/or 
audrey.franchet@wto.org ) by c.o.b Thursday, 27 March . It is foreseen that, in the course of a  
formal meeting to be held probably on the af ternoon of Tuesday, 1 April, note would be 
taken by the Committee of th e corrections/updating proposed in the attached drafts  and 
the Secretariat would be asked to prepare and circulate the new loose-leaf Appendices 
in the form of a WT/Let/- document on that basis.  The loose-leaf schedules would then 
supersede the commitments in GPA/113. 
Further to the above, and since the matter was raised in the meetings that took place on 
12 March, where individual delegations so request, the Secretariat will attempt to make available informally copy-compare versions  of the attached schedules as compared to the commitments 
in GPA/113. However, the Secretariat does not recommend this approach to checking the 
documents. The reasons are three-fold: (i) it is difficult or impossible to provide a complete set of the attached schedules in copy-compare format, due to the very large (in some cases) size of the files involved; (ii) the copy-compare versions that  we have attempted to print have a very dense 
appearance, due to the extensive formatting changes that have been made; and (iii) the purpose 
of the exercise is to allow delegations to make  a final check, if desired, of the schedules 
precisely in the form in which they will be issued , thereby (it is hoped) avoiding a need for 
further corrections. 
Lastly, in regard to the additional Parties for which the revised Agreement will come into effect 
after 6 April (including Japan, for which the Agreement will come into effect on 
Wednesday, 16 April), it is foreseen that the Secretariat would issue addenda to the present 
document  attaching draft schedules that would incorporate all relevant changes for those Parties. 
The draft schedules would then be approved by th e Committee, if agreeable, by written procedure. 
1  GENERAL (PRESENTATIONA L) MODIFICATIONS INCORPORATED IN THE ATTACHED 
DRAFT SCHEDULES AS COMPARED TO THE APPENDICES CIRCULATED IN GPA/113 
1.1.  The following presentational modifications a pply to the Appendices of each Party. They serve 
the purpose of providing greater clarity by adopting  a consistent approach to the presentation of 
market access commitments and to facilitate the implementation of the e-GPA project.  
1.1  Titles and Structure of Appendix I Annexes 1.2.  Based on the language used in Article II: 4 of the revised Agreement, the titles used for 
Annexes consistently read: GPA/W/326 
 
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For Annexes Authentic in the English 
Language: For Annexes Authentic in the French 
Language: 
Annex 1 Central Government Entities Annexe 1 Entités du Gouvernement Central 
Annex 2 Sub-Central Government Entities Annexe 2 Entités des Gouvernements Sous-
Centraux 
Annex 3 Other Entities Annexe 3 Autres Entités 
Annex 4 Goods Annexe 4 Marchandises 
Annex 5 Services Annexe 5 Services 
Annex 6 Construction Services Annexe 6 Services de Construction 
Annex 7 General Notes Annexe 7 Notes Générales 
 
1.3.  In line with the practice ad opted by the majority of Parties,  the structure of Annexes 1 to 3 
consistently comprise, in the same order, the following elements: (i) the thresholds; (ii) the list of entities
4; and (iii) the notes to the relevant Annex (when applicable).5 
1.2  Thresholds 
1.4.  Based on the language used in Article II: 4 of the revised Agreement, the presentation of 
threshold values in Annexes 1-3 consistently reads in the following way: 
For Annexes Authentic in the English 
Language:  For Annexes Authentic in the French 
Language:  
Thresholds: 
Goods     SDR [number] 
 
Services    SDR [number] 
 
Construction Services  SDR [number]6 Valeurs de seuil: 
Marchandises   [number] DTS 
 
Services    [number] DTS 
 
Services de construction  [number] DTS 
 
1.5.  Other terminology (i.e. "Supplies", "Works", "Construction", "Produits") has been replaced by 
the official terms used in Article II:4 of the revised Agreement.7 Any additional language in the 
                                               
4 Lists of entities have been placed after the thresholds and before the notes to the relevant Annex. 
Consequential changes in language (e.g. "An indicative list …is attached follows") have been made to the 
Annexes 2 and 3 of the European Union; Annex 3 of Icel and; and Annexes 1 to 3 of Norway, where necessary.  
5 Notes have been placed under the heading "Notes to Annex […]" as last element of the relevant 
Annexes. References in Annexes to notes (situated dire ctly against individual co verage items) have been 
clarified by consistently inserting "Note" before the relevant note numbers (e.g. Ministry of Health (Note 1)). 
This concerns the European Union (Annex 5); Iceland (Annex 5); and Israel (Annexes 1 and 3). 
6 When a Party grouped the thresholds for goods and services as they are the same, they have been 
split into two lines. This concerns the Appendix I Annexes 1 and 3 of Hong Kong, China; and Annexes 1 to 3 of 
the United States. For Parties using different thresholds for two different groups of entities, the relevant SDR 
values, followed by the Group/List name are indicated in two lines. This concerns the Appendix I Annex 1 of 
the United States. 
7 This concerns Canada (Annexes 1 to 3 in French ); the European Union (Annexes 1 to 3); Iceland 
(Annexes 1 to 3); Israel (Annexes 1 to 3); Liechtenstein (Annexes 1 to 3); and Singapore (Annexes 1 to 3). GPA/W/326 
 
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  presentation of the threshold values (i.e. "specified in Annex …"8, "for …"9, or the repetition of the 
word "thresholds"10) has been omitted or placed in a footnote reference11 to ensure consistency. 
1.6.  In line with the practice adopted by the ma jority of the Parties, thresholds have not been 
repeated in Annexes 5 and 6 in order to av oid potential confusion and/or redundancy.12 
1.3  Lists of Entities 
1.7.  In line with the new document format adop ted by the WTO Secretariat, the lists of entities 
have been numbered in Arabic numbering format. The lists have been placed under the title "List 
of Entities"/"Liste des entités". Where a title is no t followed by a list of entities, the word "none" 
has been inserted for legal certainty.13 
1.8.  Where Parties have notified original names of entities in a non-official WTO language, 
together with a translation of names into an official WTO language, the following common format 
has been used: name in the non-official WTO la n g u a g e  f i r s t ,  f o l l o w e d  b y  t h e  n a m e  i n  a  W T O  
language between parentheses (e.g. "Regia Autonom ă Aeroportul Sibiu (Autonomous Public 
Service Undertaking Sibiu Airport)").14 
1.9.  Generic definitions of terms have been consistently placed in footnotes. The belief is that it 
will improve readability and ensure a consistent approach between the Parties' Annexes.15 
1.4  Lists of Goods, Services  and Construction Services 
1.10.  In line with the new document format adop ted by the WTO Secretariat, the lists of goods, 
services and construction services have been num bered in Arabic numbering format. The lists have 
been placed under the following headings, as applicable: 
Goods: 
CN Chapter     Description 
CCC Chapter     Description 
FSC Reference No.    Description 
HS Reference No.    Description 
 Services and Construction Services: 
Description     CPC Prov. Reference No.16 [MTN.GNS/W/120]17  
 
1.11.  The lists of covered construction services have been placed under the title "List of 
Construction Services (Division 51, CPC Prov.)".  
                                               
8 This concerns the European Union (Annexes 1 to 3); Iceland (Annexes 1 to 3); Israel (Annexes 1 to 
3); and Singapore (Annexes 1 to 3). 
9 This concerns Hong Kong, China (Annexes 1 to 3). 
10 This concerns the Appendix I Annexes 1 to 3 of the European Union; Annexes 1 to 3 of Iceland; 
Annexes 1 to 3 of Israel; Annexes 1 to 3 of Liechtenst ein; Annexes 1 to 3 of Norway; and Annexes 1 and 3 of 
Singapore. 
11 This concerns Israel (Annex 1). 
12 This concerns Israel (Annex 6); and Singapore (Annexes 5 and 6). 
13 This concerns the European Union (see sections 3.12; 5.12; 6.12; and 6.17 of Annex 3).  
14 This concerns the European Union (Annexes 1 to 3); Norway (Annexes 1 to 3);  
15 This concerns the European Union (Annex 2); and Norway (Annex 2). 
16 Where necessary, refere nces to "CPC" have been changed to "CPC Prov." for greater clarity. 
17 Where indicated. GPA/W/326 
 
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  1.12.  In line with the practice adopted by the majo rity of the Parties, specific notes in the lists of 
covered services applying to a specific service ca tegory (sometimes also marked by asteriks) have 
been converted to footnotes.18 
1.5  Appendices II to IV 
1.13.  The lists of electronic or paper media and website addresses have been numbered in Arabic 
numbering format. 
2  PARTY-SPECIFIC MODIFICATIONS 
2.1  Reflection of modifications under the GPA 1994 
2.1.  The following modifications have been made to individual Parties' Annexes to Appendix I in 
order to update their coverage commitments in line with modifications that have been certified, or 
are about to be certified, with regard to th e GPA 1994 Annexes, but were not reflected in the 
revised Annexes as set out in document GPA/113. 
2.1.1  European Union 2.2.  With regard to the European Union, the modifications certified on 1 July 2013 for the GPA 
1994 Annexes as set out in document GPA/MOD/EEC/25, dated 6 June 2013, have been reflected 
in the loose-leaf system to take account of Cr oatia's becoming a member State of the European 
Union. The Appendix I Annexes concerned are Annexes 1-4 of the European Union. 
2.1.2  Hong Kong, China 
2.3.  With regard to Hong Kong, China, the modifications as set out in document GPA/MOD/HKG/5, 
dated 21 February 2014, have been reflected in the loose-leaf system.
19 This document concerns 
the Annex 1 of Hong Kong, China. 
2.1.3  Singapore 
2.4.  With regard to Singapore, the modifications certified on 20 December 2012 for the GPA 1994 
Annexes as set out in document GPA/MOD/SGP/2, dated 21 November 2012, have been reflected 
in the loose-leaf system. This document concerns the Annex 1 of Singapore. 
2.1.4  United States 2.5.  With regard to the United States, the mo difications certified on 8 January 2013 for the GPA 
1994 Annexes as set out in document GPA/MOD/USA/14, dated 9 December 2012, have been 
reflected in the loose-leaf system. This modifica tion concerns the Annex 1 of the United States. 
2.2  Correction of clerical errors 2.6.  The following modifications have been made to individual Parties' Annexes in order to correct 
clerical errors. 
2.2.1  Liechtenstein 2.7.  With regard to Liechtenstein's Appendix I Annex 3, note 5 has been changed as follows: 
"5. This Agreement does not cover procurement by procuring entities other than a 
public authority exercising the supply of drinking water or electricity to networks 
                                               
18 This concerns the European Union (Annex 5); Iceland (Annex 5); and Norway (Annex 5). 
19 This modification has been taken into account despite the fact that it is not certified yet, as the end of 
the objection period falls within the period for approval of the loose-leaf Schedules, i.e. is before 2 April 2014. 
Parties are reminded that any objections to this modificati on should be notified to the Secretariat before or on 
23 March 2014. Any objections to GPA/MOD/HKG/5 will be ta ken into account in the revision of the loose-leaf 
system. GPA/W/326 
 
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  which provide a service to the public, if th ey produce these services by themselves 
and consume them for the purpose of carrying out other activities than those described under this Annex under (i) and ( iii)(a) and (b) and provided that the supply 
to the public network depends only on th e entity's own consumption and does not 
exceed 30 per cent of the entity's total prod uction of drinking water or energy, having 
regard to the average for the preceding three years, including the current year." 
2.8.  With regard to Liechten stein's Appendix III, "tender electronic daily" now reads "Tenders 
Electronic Daily". 
2.2.2  United States 
2.9.  With regard to the United States' Appendix I Annex 3, the threshold for construction services 
has been changed as follows: 
Construction Services   SDR 5,000,0000 
 2.10.  With regard to the United States' Appendix I Annex 7, the second line of note 8 has been 
changed to read: 
"8. For goods and services, including construction services, of Japan and suppliers of 
such goods and services, this Agreement does not cover procurement by entities 
listed in Annex 3 that are responsible for the generation or distribution of electricity, 
including the commitment with respect to financing provided by the Rural Utilities Service of power generation projects described in Note 1 to Annex 3." 
3  PARTIES' APPENDICES I- IV IN LOOSE-LEAF FORMAT 
3.1.  Appendix I in loose-leaf format is available in: 
a. Attachment A: Cover page of Appendix I in English, French and Spanish; 
b. Attachments B and C: Appendix I Annexes for Canada (English and French respectively); 
c. Attachment D: Appendix I Annexes for the European Union; 
d. Attachment E: Appendix I A nnexes for Hong Kong, China; 
e. Attachment F: Appendix I Annexes for Iceland; 
f. Attachment G: Appendix I Annexes for Israel; 
g. Attachment H: Appendix I Annexes for Liechtenstein; 
h. Attachment I: Appendix I Annexes for Norway; 
i. Attachment J: Appendix I Annexes for Singapore; 
j. Attachment K: Appendix I Annexes for The Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, 
Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu; 
k. Attachment L: Appendix I Annexes for the United States. 
3.2.  Appendix II in loose-leaf format is available in attachment M in English and Spanish.
20 
                                               
20 The French versions of Appendices II-IV will shortl y be circulated in an addendum to this document. GPA/W/326 
 
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  3.3.  Appendix III in loose-leaf format is av ailable in attachment N in English and Spanish.20 
3.4.  Appendix IV in loose-leaf format is available in attachment O in English and Spanish. 20 
 
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