. /. RESTRICTED  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  GPA/M/37 
15 June 2009 
 
 (09-2914) 
Committee on Government Procurement  
  
 
MINUTES OF THE FORMAL MEETING OF 4 JUNE 2009 
 
Chairman:  Mr. Nicholas Niggli (Switzerland)
 
  
1. The Chairman
 said that, in preparation for this meet ing, delegations had received an airgram 
(WTO/AIR/3376 of 29 May 2009) se tting out the proposed agenda. 
2. The Committee adopted  the following agenda, as outlined in the airgram: 
 A. Request for Extension of Accession Deci sion from the Separate Customs Territory of 
Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu. 
A. REQUEST FOR EXTENSION OF ACCESSION DE CISION FROM THE SEPARATE CUSTOMS 
TERRITORY OF TAIWAN , PENGHU , KINMEN AND MATSU  
3. The Chairman  said that, as delegations were aware, in the course of the formal meeting of the 
Committee on Government Procurement of 9 December 2008, the Committee had adopted a historic Decision (GPA/96) providing for Chinese Taipei's accession to the Agreement on the basis of terms 
that were attached to the Decision.  The Decisi on of 9 December had also provided that it would 
expire six months after the date of its adoption unless extended by the Committee.  Subsequently, in 
the informal plurilateral discussion on accessions to  the Agreement that took place on 13 May 2009, 
the possibility had been mentioned that Chinese Taip ei might have to request an extension of the 
period for submission of its instrument of accession.
1  On 29 May 2009, a request by Chinese Taipei 
for such an extension, for a set period of one m onth only, had been circulated to all delegations 
(GPA/ACC/TPKM/2).  The airgram to convene the current meeting (WTO/AIR/3376) had also been 
circulated on that date. 
4. Continuing, he said that, on 29 May 2009, de legations had received a communication from 
the Chairman conveying his understanding that the ex tension that Chinese Taipei had requested was 
necessary for administrative and scheduling purposes w ithin Chinese Taipei's administration.  A draft 
decision granting the requested extension (GPA /ACC/TPKM/3) had been attached to this 
communication.  Delegations had been asked to get back to the Secretariat with any objections no 
later than 2 June 2009, with the understanding that, if no objections were re ceived, it would be taken 
that all delegations were prepared to approve the pr oposed decision.  No objections had been received, 
and delegations had been so advised in a follo w-up communication from the Chair which had been 
circulated on 3 June 2009.  Attached to the follo w-up communication had been a slightly reformatted 
version of the proposed decision (GPA/ACC/TPKM/3/Re v.1 of 3 June 2009).  This was the decision 
before the Committee.  It was important to note that  no changes of any substance had been made to 
the proposed decision – the "Rev.1" signified only that the document had been reformatted.  The 
extension to be granted was for a period of one m onth only.  Furthermore, the decision before the 
Committee provided specifically that "In all other respects, the terms of the Decision taken on 
9 December 2008 (GPA/96) are unchanged". 
                                                      
1 Chairman's Statement on Stocktaking and Future Work (Job No. 3733 of 14 May 2009), paragraph 3. GPA/M/37 
Page 2  
 
  5. The Committee agreed
 to the Request for Extension of the Accession Decision from the 
Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu.2 
6. The representative of the European Communities  said that her delegation looked forward to 
the completion of all remaining steps regardi ng the accession of Chinese Taipei.  Her delegation 
supported the extension of the deadline because it understood that it was for administrative and 
scheduling purposes only.  She looked forward to welcoming Chinese Taipei as a full-fledged GPA 
Party. 
7. The representative of the United States  said that, like the European Communities, his 
delegation had agreed to extend the deadline for one month, since it attached considerable importance 
to both the Decision and the accession of Chinese Taipei  to the GPA.  However, further extensions 
should be avoided. 
8. The representative of Switzerland  said that, like the European  Communities and the United 
States, her delegation agreed to the extension and looked forward to workin g with Chinese Taipei as a 
full-fledged GPA Party. 
9. The representative of Korea  said that, while it was regrettable that the accession of Chinese 
Taipei to the GPA would be delayed, his delegation had agreed to the extension of the Decision.  His 
delegation hoped that Chinese Taipei would do its best  to ensure that the accession took place in due 
course. 
10. The representative of Canada  welcomed the extension of the Decision and said that his 
delegation looked forward to the formal submissi on of the instrument of accession of Chinese Taipei, 
upon completion of the final administrative procedures. 
11. The representative of Japan  said that her delegation looked forward to the accession of 
Chinese Taipei to the GPA.  She asked for further cl arification on the internal procedures that had still 
to be completed within Chinese Taipei's administration. 
12. In response, the representative of Chinese Taipei  said that his delegation sincerely appreciated 
the approval of the extension of the Decision.  As the Chairman had indicated, the extension had been 
requested because it had been considered that it was necessary for administrative and scheduling 
purposes within Chinese Taipei's administration.  He said that his Government was making every 
effort to become a GPA Party as soon as possible, a nd fully intended to comp lete the necessary steps 
within the additional month that had been provided. 
__________ 
                                                      
2 See also GPA/96/Add.1 of 5 June 2009.