RESTRICTED  
  
GPA/ACC/AUS/27  
 
21 Ma rch 2017  
(17-1563) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Government Procurement  Original: English  
 
ACCESSION OF AUSTRAL IA TO THE AGREEMENT ON GOVERNMENT PROCUR EMENT  
COMMUNICATION FROM I CELAND, LIECHTENSTEI N, NORWAY AND SWITZE RLAND  
The following communication, dated 21 March 2017, is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegations of Iceland, Liechten stein, Norway and Switzerland.  
 
_______________  
COMMENTS FROM ICELAN D, LIECHTENSTEIN, NO RWAY AND SWITZERLAND  ON THE 
REVISED OFFER OF AUS TRALIA (GPA/ACC/AUS/ 17) 
The above Members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) would like to thank Australia 
for submitting a revised offer on 30 September 2016. The EFTA States hereby submit their 
comments requiring further improvements in Australia's revised offer.  
 
The EFTA States reserve the right to submit additional questions and requests for improvements.  
 
Annex 1 - Central government entities  
 
1. The EFTA States cover all central government entities in Annex 1 and request Australia to 
include additional entities, aligned with the obligations taken so far by Australia in other 
international trade agreements suc h as TPP, KAFTA and JAEPA.  
Annex 2 - Sub-Central Government Entities  
 
2. The EFTA States reiterate their request that Australia lowers its thresholds for goods and 
services coverage in Annex 2 to SDR 200,000 in order to assure consistency with the thresholds 
applied by most of the Members of the GPA, including the EFTA States.  
3. The EFTA States cover all sub -central government entities operating at the regional or local 
level in Annex 2, as well as all bodies governed by public law. The EFTA States request Austr alia to 
ensure further coverage in Annex 2 by:  
i. including additional entities at State and Territory level, including entities operating 
in the utilities sectors;  
ii. including entities at the local government level such as major cities.  
Annex 3 - Other Entiti es 
 
4. The EFTA States request Australia to expand its Annex 3 coverage by including GBEs at 
central level, in particular those operating in the utilities sectors.  
5. Where the Australian Government does not control the procurement decisions of GBEs, 
could Austr alia please provide specific examples, e.g. directives and/or corporate laws governing 
the operations of such GBEs?  GPA/ACC/AUS/27  
 
- 2 - 
 
  6. The EFTA States request Australia to move all non -corporate Commonwealth entities from 
Annex 3 to Annex 1.  
Annex 5 - Services  
 
7. The EFTA St ates welcome the use of a negative list approach for the coverage of services.  
Annex 7 - General Notes  
 
8. The EFTA States consider that any set asides or preferences generate conflicts with the 
commitments of non -discrimination of Article IV of the revised GPA. Other measures designed to 
accommodate national SMEs and SMEs located in other GPA States alike are not discriminatory. 
The EFTA States estimate that this is for example the case for measures such as the division of 
contracts into lots, etc. The EFTA States request Australia to delete its Note 1, lit. a.  
9. The EFTA States request Australia to delete its Note 2, lit. e.  
__________