WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  GPA/103 
12 November 2009 
 
 (09-5646) 
  
  
 
REPORT (2009) OF THE COMMIT TEE ON GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT 
 
 
I. GENERAL  
1. This report covers the period since the Committee's previous Annual Report
1, that is 
January – November 2009.  It is issued pursuan t to Article XXIV:7(a) of the Agreement on 
Government Procurement ("the Agreement").  A revi sion or addendum to this report may be issued 
following a further set of informal sessions and the Committee's end-of-year formal meeting, to be held in the week of 7-11 December 2009. 
2. Since the last Annual Report, th e Committee has held two formal meetings:  on 25 February 
and 4 June 2009.
2  These meetings were chaired by Mr. Nicholas Niggli (Switzerland).3 
3. The Committee has also held a ser ies of informal meetings, also chaired by Nicholas Niggli, 
focusing on accessions to the Agreement, negotiatio ns under Article XXIV:7 of the Agreement, and 
other matters, in the weeks beginning 23 February , 11 May, 13 July and 5 October 2009, respectively. 
4. The following WTO Members are covered by the Agreement:  Canada;  the European 
Communities, including its 27 member States;  Hong Kong, China;  Iceland;  Israel;  Japan;  Korea;  
Liechtenstein;  the Kingdom of the Netherlands with respect to Aruba;  Norway;  Singapore;  
Switzerland;  Chinese Taipei4;  and the United States. 
5. Twenty-two WTO Members have observer status in the Committee on Government 
Procurement:  Albania, Argentina,  Armenia, Australia, Bahrain, Cameroon, Chile, China, Colombia, 
Croatia, Georgia, Jordan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Mongolia, New Zealand, Oman, Panama, 
Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Turkey and Ukraine.5  Four intergovernmental organizations, namely the 
IMF, International Trade Centre, OECD and UNCTAD, also have observer status. 
                                                      
1 GPA/95, dated 9 December 2008. 
2 GPA/M/36, dated 19 March 2009 and GPA/M/36/Corr.1, dated 23 March 2009;  and GPA/M/37, 
dated 15 June 2009. 
3 At its meeting of 25 February 2009, the Committ ee re-elected Mr. Nicholas Niggli (Switzerland) as 
its Chairman for 2009 (GPA/M/36, dated 19 March 2009, para. 5). 
4 Chinese Taipei became a Party to th e Agreement as of 15 July 2009. 
5 Following Ukraine's request for observer status (GPA/W/302, dated 5 February 2009), the Committee 
on Government Procurement agreed, at its formal meeting of 25 February 2009, to grant observer status to 
Ukraine (GPA/M/36, para. 9, dated 19 March 2009). GPA/103 
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II. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AGREEMENT AND NOTIFICATIONS 
A. 
THRESHOLDS  
6. In accordance with the Decision on Modalities for Notifying Threshold Figures in National 
Currencies6, since the last annual report, Israel, Korea and Chinese Taipei have provided information 
on their threshold figures expressed in national currencies for 2008/2009/2010.7 
B. NOTIFICATION AND REVIEW OF NAT IONAL IMPLEMENTING LEGISLATION  
7. National implementing measures were an important focus of the Committee during the year.  
Particular attention was given to certain implem enting measures related to the American Recovery 
and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Pub. Law 111-5), foll owing a notification by the United States on this 
topic pursuant to Article XXIV:5(b) of the Agreement8, and a related exchange of questions and 
answers in the Committee.9  Also pursuant to Article XXIV:5(b), notifications were received from 
Israel and Japan.10 
C. STATISTICAL REPORTING  
8. Article XIX:5 of the Agreement on Government Procurement requires Parties to collect and 
provide, on an annual basis, statistics on their pr ocurements covered by the Agreement.  During the 
period under review, Canada has notifie d its statistical reports for 1997-200711, the European 
Communities has notified its statistical reports  for 1996-2006 and a summary related to these 
reports12, Japan has notified its statistical reports for 2004-200713, Liechtenstein has notified its 
statistical report for 200814 and the United States has notified its statistical report for 2007.15 
D. CONSULTATIONS AND DISPUTE SETTLEMENT  
9. No matters were raised during the reporti ng period under Article XXII of the Agreement on 
Government Procurement (Consulta tions and Dispute Settlement). 
E. MODIFICATIONS TO THE APPENDICES OF THE AGREEMENT  
(a) Modifications that have been certifie d since the meeting of 9 December 2008 
10. During the reporting period, the following pro posed modifications have been certified: 
                                                      
6 GPA/1, dated 5 March 1996, Annex 3. 
7 GPA/W/299/Add.8, dated 19 January 2009;  GPA/W/299/Add.9, dated 21 April 2009;  and 
GPA/W/299/Add.10, dated 16 July 2009. 
8 United States – GPA/98, dated 24 April 2009. 
9 GPA/W/303, dated 24 March 2009;  GPA/W/304, dated 27 April 2009;  GPA/W/305, dated 
3 July 2009;  and GPA/W/307, dated 1 October 2009. 
10 Israel - GPA/97, dated 17 February 2009;  and Japan - GPA/37/Add.6, dated 23 July 2009, GPA/99, 
dated 2 June 2009 and GPA/99/Add.1, dated 23 July 2009. 
11 GPA/22/Add.5, GPA/29/Add.5, GPA/40/Add.5, GPA/62/Add.5, GPA/70/Add.5, GPA/76/Add.6, 
GPA/80/Add.6, GPA/84/Add.5, GPA/88/Add.4, GPA/91/Add.3 and GPA/94/Add.4, all dated 12 June 2009. 
12 GPA/21/Add.4, GPA/22/Add.6, GPA/29/Add.6, GPA/40/Add.6, GPA/62/Add.6, GPA/70/Add.6, 
GPA/76/Add.7, GPA/80/Add.7, GPA/84/Add.6, GPA/88/Add .5, GPA/91/Add.4, all still to be circulated, and 
GPA/101, dated 10 July 2009. 
13 GPA/84/Add.4, GPA/88/Add.3 and GPA/91/Add.2, all dated 12 March 2009, and GPA/94/Add.2, 
dated 9 April 2009. 
14 GPA/102, to be circulated. 
15 GPA/94/Add.1, dated 19 February 2009. GPA/103 
Page 3 
 
 
 (i) modifications by Japan : 
   - GPA/MOD/JPN/34
16, effective as of 21 March 200917, given that no 
 objections were made within 30 days; 
 
  - GPA/MOD/JPN/3618 and GPA/MOD/JPN/3719, effective as of 
 26 May 200920, given that no objections were made within 30 days; 
   - GPA/MOD/JPN/38
21, effective as of 4 October 200922, given that no 
 objections were made within 30 days; 
 
  - GPA/MOD/JPN/39 and GPA/MOD/JPN/4023, effective as of 
 17 October 200924, given that no objections were made within 30 days; 
  
 (ii) modifications by Korea
: 
   - GPA/MOD/KOR/13
25 and GPA/MOD/KOR/13/Corr.126, effective as of 
 20 July 200927, due to Canada's withdrawal28 of its objection29; 
   - GPA/MOD/KOR/16
30, effective as of 2 November 200931, given that no 
 objections were made within 30 days; 
  (iii) modification by Singapore
: 
   - GPA/MOD/SGP/1
32, effective as of 2 November 200933, given that no 
 objections were made within 30 days; 
  (iv) modification by Chinese Taipei
: 
   - GPA/MOD/TPKM/1
34, effective as of 3 October 200935, given that no 
 objections were made within 30 days; 
 
                                                      
16 Dated 20 February 2009. 
17 WT/Let/641, dated 3 April 2009. 
18 Dated 21 April 2009. 
19 Dated 27 April 2009. 
20 WT/Let/643, dated 10 June 2009. 
21 Dated 4 September 2009. 
22 WT/Let/658, dated 15 October 2009. 
23 Dated 17 September 2009. 
24 WT/Let/659, dated 28 October 2009. 
25 Dated 27 May 2008. 
26 Dated 23 June 2008. 
27 WT/Let/649, dated 3 August 2009. 
28 GPA/MOD/KOR/15, dated 20 July 2009. 
29 GPA/MOD/KOR/14, dated 19 June 2008. 
30 Dated 2 October 2009. 
31 WT/Let/660, dated 10 November 2009. 
32 Dated 2 October 2009. 
33 WT/Let/661, dated 10 November 2009. 
34 Dated 3 September 2009. 
35 WT/Let/657, 15 October 2009. GPA/103 
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(b) Proposed modifications that remain outstanding 
11. As to outstanding proposed modifications, th e following developments have taken place 
during the reporting period: 
(i) Notification by Canada
: 
  In December 2006, April and Septem ber 2007 and April 2008, Canada submitted 
communications36 containing proposed modifications to its Schedules pursuant to 
Article XXIV:6(a) of the Agreement on G overnment Procurement.  The European 
Communities, Japan, the United States a nd Korea objected to these proposed 
modifications.37  Canada provided a communication stating that Canada considers 
that the 30-day time-period for objections  expired before the date of Korea's 
communication.38  Canada also provided replies to questions from Japan.39  
Subsequently, the United States and Japan have withdrawn their objections to Canada's proposed modifications.
40  During the reporting period, Korea has also 
withdrawn its objection.41 
 
(ii) Notifications by Japan  concerning proposed modifications relating to: 
- East Japan Railway Company, Central Japan Railway Company and West 
Japan Railway Company42 
No developments during the reporting period. 
- Railway Construction Public Corpor ation and Corporation for Advanced 
Transport and Technology43 
No developments during the reporting period. 
- National Aerospace Laboratory44 
In March 2009, Japan provided responses45 to questions from the US and the 
EC.46  There have been no other devel opments during the reporting period. 
- Japan Small and Medium Enterprise Corporation, Japan Regional 
Development Corporation, Ur ban Development Corporation47 
No developments during the reporting period. 
                                                      
36 GPA/MOD/CAN/1, dated 19 December 2006;  GP A/MOD/CAN/1/Corr.1, da ted 13 April 2007;  
GPA/MOD/CAN/1/Add.1, dated 24 September 2007;  and GPA/MOD/1/CAN/Add.2, dated 16 April 2008. 
37 GPA/MOD/CAN/2, dated 15 January 2007, GPA/MOD/CAN/3, dated 18 January 2007, 
GPA/MOD/CAN/4, dated 18 January 2007 and GPA/MOD/CAN/5, dated 29 January 2007, respectively. 
38 GPA/MOD/CAN/6, dated 22 February 2007. 
39 GPA/MOD/CAN/7, dated 5 April 2007. 
40 GPA/MOD/CAN/8, dated 25 May 2007 and GPA/MOD/CAN/9, dated 1 June 2007. 
41 GPA/MOD/CAN/11, dated 23 July 2009. 
42 GPA/W/144, 145 and 146, dated 29 August 2001 and GPA/W/152 and Corr.1, dated 20 September 
and 10 October 2001, respectively. 
43 GPA/W/272 and GPA/W/272/Rev.1, dated 23 September and 8 October 2003, respectively. 
44 GPA/W/275, dated 23 September 2003. 
45 GPA/MOD/JPN/35, dated 10 March 2009. 
46 GPA/W/280, dated 17 October 2003 and GPA/W/291, dated 29 January 2004. 
47 GPA/MOD/JPN/7, dated 26 July 2004. GPA/103 
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(iii) Notification by the United States  concerning proposed modifications to reflect 
changes in the administrative structure of the Federal Government48, as regards the 
Uranium Enrichment Corporation  
No developments during the reporting period. 
F. GENERAL CONSULTATIONS ON NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES  
12. In the course of the year, a series of consultations were held on the subject of notification 
procedures under the Agreement and possible improveme nts thereto, in response to the request made 
to the Chairpersons of all WTO bodies by the Chairm an of the General Council, Ambassador Matus.  
These consultations are ongoing and are building on deta iled information on the status of notifications 
which has been compiled by th e Secretariat for the Committee.49 
III. ACCESSIONS TO THE AGREEMENT 
13. Work on pending accessions to the Agreement on Government Procurement was an important 
focus of the Committee during the year.  In the co urse of the year, Chinese Taipei completed its 
accession and became a Party to the Agreement.  Nine other WTO Members are in the process of 
acceding to the Agreement on Government Procurement:  Albania, Armenia, China, Georgia, Jordan, 
the Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Oman and Panama.  A further five WTO Members have provisions 
regarding accession to the Agreement in their respecti ve Protocols of Accession to the WTO:  Croatia, 
the Former Yugoslav Republic of  Macedonia, Mongolia, Saudi Arab ia and Ukraine.  Following are 
additional details regarding particular WTO Me mbers whose accessions were the subject of 
substantive discussions/other de velopments during the year. 
(a) Armenia 
 
14. Armenia's application for accession to the Agreem ent and initial offer were informally shared 
with the Committee in July, and were formally circulated on 4 September 2009.50  Included with the 
offer was additional helpful information on the procur ement regime of Armenia.  A first substantive 
discussion regarding the proposed terms of Armeni a's accession took place during the meetings held 
in the week of 5 October 2009.  In the course of th e discussion, Parties expressed their appreciation to 
Armenia for the high quality of its initial offer a nd the additional information provided, while also 
noting that certain issues concerning the offer w ould still need to be addressed.  They committed 
themselves to provide written comments to Armeni a on the initial offer and expressed the hope that 
Armenia's accession process might proceed quickly. 
 (b) China 
 
15. China applied for accession to the GPA on 28 December 2007 and its initial offer was 
circulated to Parties on 7 January 2008.51  Subsequently, it submitted its  Replies to the Checklist of 
Issues for Provision of Information Relating to  Accession to the Agreement on Government 
Procurement52 ("Checklist of Issues") in September 2008.  Discussions dedicated to China's accession 
took place at various times during the year.53  Also in 2008, requests fo r improvements in China's 
offer were received from Canada54, the European Communities55, Japan56, Korea57, Norway58, 
                                                      
48 GPA/W/153, dated 25 September 2001. 
49 GPA/W/306, dated 28 September 2009;  and GPA/W/306/Corr.1, dated 13 October 2009. 
50 GPA/ACC/ARM/1, dated 4 September 2009. 
51 GPA/ACC/CHN/1, dated 7 January 2008;  and GPA/93, dated 14 January 2008. 
52 GPA/ACC/CHN/8, dated 16 September 2008. 
53 See Report (2008) of the Committee on Government Procurement to the General Council (GPA/95, 
dated 9 December 2008). 
54 GPA/ACC/CHN/2, dated 15 May 2008;  and GPA/ACC/CHN/7, dated 2 September 2008. GPA/103 
Page 6  
 
Switzerland
59, and the United States.60  Subsequently, in 2009, Japan61 and Canada62 submitted 
questions regarding China's Replies to the Checklist of  Issues.  China provided replies to the questions 
from Japan63 and Canada64, respectively, in October 2009. 
16. Further substantive discussions on China's initia l offer and its accession process took place in 
the course of the meetings held in the weeks be ginning 23 February and 5 October 2009.  During the 
meeting in February, China made a detailed statem ent regarding the efforts it was making to carry 
forward its accession and the challenges that it faced in this regard, for example concerning necessary 
training of personnel and further development of it s procurement system.  Parties took note of the 
points made, and expressed their appreciation for the important efforts that China was making, and also emphasized their interest in receiving a revised, improved offer as soon as possible. 
17. In preparation for the meeting that took pl ace in October, China submitted a progress report 
regarding its accession.
65  In the report, China outlined the cha llenges it faced in preparing its revised 
offer, particularly in identifying sub-central a nd "other" government entities to be covered by the 
Agreement, and in bringing its procurement system  into GPA compliance.  It undertook to provide a 
revised coverage offer focusing on expansion of th e coverage of its central government procurement 
as soon as possible in 2010.  Parties welcomed the report, thanked China for its evident seriousness, 
good efforts and engagement in its accession process,  and expressed their interest in receiving the 
revised offer as soon as possible in the New Year.  Pa rties also made clear that a key requirement for 
China to meet in order to join the Agreement would be to agree on an eventual level of coverage that 
was comparable to that of other Parties to the Agreement. 
(c) Jordan 
 
18. Negotiations regarding Jordan's accession to th e Agreement have been under way since 2004.  
In 2009, a further substantive discussion regarding the terms of its accession took place in the course 
of the meeting held in the week of 13 July, based  on an informal revised  entity offer submitted by 
Jordan.  In the course of the discu ssion, Jordan referred to extensiv e difficulties that it faced with 
respect to its economy, anxieties about GPA accessi on that were felt by its business community and 
the potential value of its accession as a model and pr ecedent for other developing countries.  Parties 
took note of these points whilst indicating that importa nt issues regarding Jordan's accession remained 
to be resolved.  During the informal sessions that  took place in October 2009, Jordan reported that 
various studies were being conducted in  its capital to respond to questions  that had arisen regarding its 
accession.  Parties took note of this and looked forwar d to receiving a further revised offer that would 
address the remaining concerns that Parties had ra ised.  The Chairman noted that the eventual 
conclusion of Jordan's accession would be a historic milestone for the Agreement. 
                                                                                                                                                                     
55 GPA/ACC/CHN/6, dated 4 August 2008. 
56 GPA/ACC/CHN/10, dated 13 October 2008. 
57 GPA/ACC/CHN/4, dated 11 July 2008. 
58 GPA/ACC/CHN/9, dated 18 September 2008. 
59 GPA/ACC/CHN/5, dated 4 August 2008. 
60 GPA/ACC/CHN/3, dated 19 May 2008. 
61 GPA/ACC/CHN/11, dated 29 January 2009. 
62 GPA/ACC/CHN/12, dated 17 February 2009. 
63 GPA/ACC/CHN/13, dated 5 October 2009. 
64 GPA/ACC/CHN/14, dated 5 October 2009. 
65 Informal room document only, dated 7 October 2009. GPA/103 
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(d) The Kyrgyz Republic 
 
19. Although the Kyrgyz Republic applied for accession to the Agreement in 199966, work on its 
accession had been inactive since 2003.  In Oct ober 2009, the Kyrgyz Republic submitted updated 
responses to the Checklist of Issues, as a step towards revitalizing work towards its eventual 
accession.67  Parties enthusiastically we lcomed this development and l ooked forward to resumed work 
with the Kyrgyz Republic to carry forward its accession. 
 (e) Moldova 
 
20. Moldova circulated its application for accession and initial offer in November 2008.68  A first 
substantive discussion of its proposed terms of access ion took place during the informal sessions held 
in the week beginning 23 February 2009, in the course of which Parties commended Moldova for the substance and high standard of its offer as well as its exemplary level of cooperation with the 
Committee.  During the meeting held in the week of 11 May 2009, Moldova requested that further 
active consideration on its accession be deferred until la ter in the year, in the light of an ongoing re-
organization of its Government.  Parties took note of this, while looking forward to resuming work to 
build on the excellent start that Moldova had made. 
 (f) Chinese Taipei 
 
21. In December 2008, the Committee on Government  Procurement adopted a decision inviting 
Chinese Taipei to accede to the Agreement on Government Procur ement on terms that had been 
agreed.
69  The decision provided a six-month period for Chinese Taipei to complete all necessary 
steps concerning its accession and to deposit its instru ment of accession, incorporating the terms that 
had been agreed, with the Director-General.  S ubsequently, in response to a request by Chinese 
Taipei70, the Committee granted an extension of th e period for completion of Chinese Taipei's 
accession for one month, until 9 July 2009.71  On 15 June 2009, Chinese Taipei deposited its 
instrument of accession with the Director-General.72  A certified true copy of its terms of accession 
was circulated by the Director-General to all WTO Members.73  As provided for under paragraph 2 of 
Article XXIV of the Agreement, the Agreement then  entered into force for Chinese Taipei on 15 July 
2009.  In the course of the informal sessions that  took place during the same week, the Chairman and 
Parties warmly congratulated Chinese Taipei for its  historic achievement in completing its accession 
to the Agreement. 
 (g) Other pending accessions 
 
22. During the year, the Committee also kept under review the situation regarding other pending 
accessions and accession commitments.  As requested by the Committee during its informal meeting 
in February 2009, the Chairman sent follow-up letters to the Ambassa dors/other appropriate 
representatives of:  (i) all WTO Members that have applied for accession to the Agreement but whose 
accessions had been inactive for an extended period;   and (ii) other WTO Members with outstanding 
commitments to initiate accession.  Subsequent ly, he briefed the Committee on the responses 
received.  The Committee expressed appreciation for the Chairman's efforts and undertook to keep 
these accessions and related commitm ents under continuing review. 
                                                      
66 GPA/SPEC/4, dated 19 May 1999. 
67 GPA/ACC/KGZ/1, dated 5 October 2009. 
68 GPA/ACC/MDA/2 and GPA/ACC/MDA/1, both dated 11 November 2008. 
69 GPA/96, dated 9 December 2008. 
70 GPA/ACC/TPKM/2, dated 29 May 2009. 
71 GPA/96/Add.1, dated 5 June 2009. 
72 GPA/100, dated 2 July 2009. 
73 WT/Let/647, dated 30 June 2009 and WT/Let/647/Corr.1, dated 1 July 2009. GPA/103 
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 (h) Secretariat technical assistan ce activities relating to the Agreement 
 
23. In the course of the meeting held in the week  of 5 October 2009, the Committee also heard a 
report by the Secretariat on its technical assistance activities relating to the Agreement.
74  It expressed 
its appreciation to the Secretariat for these activities,  which it considered to be useful in facilitating 
accessions to the Agreement. 
IV. NEGOTIATIONS UNDER ARTICLE XXIV:7 OF THE AGREEMENT 
24. Article XXIV:7(b) and (c) of the Agreement call for the Parties to undertake negotiations with 
a view to improving the Agreement and achieving the greatest possible extension of its coverage 
among all Parties, and eliminating any remaini ng discriminatory measures and practices.  The 
negotiations were to commence no later than the end of the third year from the date of the 
Agreement's entry into force (in 1996).  Further to th is mandate, negotiations on a revised text of the 
Agreement and on the coverage of the Agreem ent have been under way in the Committee for a 
number of years. 
25. In December 2006, the negotiators reached pr ovisional agreement on a revised text of the 
Agreement75, subject to a legal check and to a mutu ally satisfactory outcome on the coverage 
negotiations.76  Work on the legal check of Articles I through XXI of the revised GPA text was 
completed in 2007, subject only to outstanding issues in the Preamble and Article II:4 of the revised 
text, and to the general understa nding governing the negotiations th at nothing will be considered 
finally agreed until everything is agreed.  In a ddition, Article XXII of the revised text (Final 
Provisions) and related draft decisions regarding the coming into force of the revised text have not 
been finalized and remain subject to active discu ssion.  The negotiations on coverage issues are 
ongoing.77 
26. During the reporting period, Parties pursued their negotiations on both coverage and the 
outstanding text-related issues in a series of in formal meetings held in the weeks beginning 
23 February, 11 May, 13 July and 5 October 2009, respec tively.  In the course of each of these weeks, 
time was allotted for both bilatera l consultations between Parties and for informal plurilateral 
discussions on these issues.  A further set of informal  meetings is scheduled for the week beginning 
7 December 2009. 
27. With regard to the state of play regard ing the coverage negotiations, initial offers  from 
Canada, the European Communities, Iceland, Isr ael, Japan, Korea, Norway, Singapore, Switzerland 
and the United States were circulated prior to or dur ing the meetings held in October 2007.  That of 
the Netherlands with respect to Aruba was circulat ed in December 2008.  In November 2009, Chinese 
Taipei confirmed that the coverage commmitm ents adopted when it became a Party to the 
Agreement78, subject to subsequent modifications79, also constitute its initial offer in the coverage 
negotiations.80  In addition, Jordan, which is also participating in the coverage negotiations81, 
confirmed in the course of the informal meeting held  in the week of 6 February 2006 that the offers 
that it has circulated to delegations in the course of its negotiations on accession to the current 
Agreement should also be considered as offers in the coverage negotiations.  The initial offers of 
Hong Kong, China and Liechtenstein  have yet to be circulated. 
                                                      
74 GPA/W/308, dated 6 October 2009. 
75 GPA/W/297, dated 11 December 2006. 
76 GPA/89, para. 20, dated 11 December 2006. 
77 Modalities for the negotiations on coverage are set out in GPA/79, dated 19 July 2004. 
78 WT/Let/647/Add.1, dated 31 July 2009. 
79 WT/Let/657, dated 15 October 2009. 
80 GPA/O/TPKM/2, dated 6 November 2009. 
81 As noted above, Jordan is in  the process of negotiating its accession to the Agreement. GPA/103 
Page 9 
 
 
28. With respect to revised offers  in the negotiations, as of the end of 2008, these had been 
circulated by seven delegations:  the European Co mmunities;  Japan;  Jordan;  Korea;  Norway;  
Switzerland;  and the United States.  The revised offer of Singapore was circulated in May 2009.  In addition, various informal revisi ons to its initial coverage offer have been circulated by Jordan 
including, most recently, an updated informal offer that was circulated in July 2009. 
29. In the course of the year, various possibilities for carrying forward the negotiations were 
considered, including a proposal for a possible mid-term review.  The rationale for this proposal, regarding which a decision has not yet been taken,  would be to facilitate renewed progress in the 
coverage negotiations, by clarifying the scope of the offers that are currently on the table and, where 
possible, eliminating misunderstandings as to what is and is not covered.  Pa rties' existing coverage 
commitments would also be considered.  During the year, reference was also made to the current set 
of "horizontal coverage issues" for consideration in th e negotiations (see attachment).  In this context, 
the question was raised as to whether it might be  possible to address the specific problems of Small 
and Medium-sized (or Minority) Enterprises (SME s) in accessing procurement markets through a 
common approach reflecting the principles of national treatment and non-discrimination. 
30. With regard to continuing work on text-related issues, as of the end of the year, work on the 
verification of the linguistic equivalency of the Eng lish, French and Spanish texts was close to being 
completed.  Issues remained to be resolved rega rding Article XXII and the related draft decisions 
regarding the coming into force of the revised text.  In addition, significant work remained to be done 
regarding the development of draft Committee d ecisions on arbitration procedures and indicative 
criteria which are called for in the pr ovisionally agreed revised GPA text.
82 
                                                      
82 GPA/W/297, dated 11 December 2006 (provisionally agreed revised text), Article XIX:8. GPA/103 
Page 10  
 
   
ATTACHMENT 
 
HORIZONTAL MARKET ACCESS-RELATED MATTERS TO BE  
NEGOTIATED IN THE COMMITTEE AS A WHOLE UNDER 
THE DECISION ON MODALITIES1 
 
 
 (1) Level of thresholds and their possible harmonization; 
  (2) coverage of software;   (3) the proposed goods Annex; 
 
(4) whether there should be a uniform level of coverage of the entities covered by the 
Agreement; 
  (5) whether Annex 1 should follow a positive or  negative list approach, or be based on a 
generic description; 
  (6) whether there should be greater harmoni zation of the way entities are described, in 
particular whether Annexes 2 and 3 should be  structured on the basis of categories of 
entities, for example as defined in the legislation of individual Parties, or in terms of lists of individual entities; 
 
 (7) whether, in regard to services coverage  in Annexes 4 and 5, further commonality of 
presentation is desirable and feasible, taking into account coverage and commitments under the GATS; 
 
 (8) whether the General Note s in the Annexes can be simplified and made more easily 
understandable; 
 
(9) modifications to the structure and content of Annexes in Appendix I; 
 
 (10) uniform description of entities in Annexes 1-3;  and 
  (11) the treatment of small and medium-sized/minority enterprises (SMEs).  
__________ 
                                                     
 
1 This is a modified version of the list of horizontal coverage matters included in the Decision on 
negotiating modalities (GPA/79, dated 19 July 2004;  also attached to the Report (July 2003-November 2004) of 
the Committee on Government Procur ement (GPA/82, dated 26 November  2004)).  It takes account of 
suggestions made by Parties in subsequent informal plurilateral discussions.