RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE WT/WGTGP/M/3
9January 1998
ORGANIZATION(98-0056)
Working Group onTransparency
inGovernment Procurement
REPORT ONTHE MEETING OF3-4NOVEMBER 1997
Note bytheSecretariat
1. TheWorking Group onTransparency inGovernment Procurement helditsthirdmeeting on
3and4November 1997 under theChairmanship ofAmbassador Werner Corrales Leal.
2. ThesubstantiveagendaforthismeetingcomprisedgeneralstatementsontheworkoftheWorking
Group andtransparency-related provisions inexisting international instruments ongovernment
procurement andnational procedures andpractices. Inaddition, theWorking Group considered requests
forobserver status byinternational intergovernmental organizations. Under "other business", the
Working Group considered adraftofthereport bytheWorking Group totheGeneral Council and
theorganization ofitswork during 1998.
A. GENERAL STATEMENTS
3. Therepresentatives ofNorway andSwitzerland introduced non-papers relating toelements
oftransparency ingovernment procurement (JobNos. 5220 and6328 respectively). Bywayof
clarification ofherdelegation 'snon-paper (JobNo.5220), therepresentative ofNorway stated that
herdelegation hadreceived preliminary comments onthisnon-paper which seemed toindicate that
some oftheobjectives sought therein werejudged asgoing toofar,while others wereseenasnotgoing
farenough. Norway 'sinitiative wasmeant tobeaconstructive contribution totheGroup 'sdiscussion
andwasnotintended togobeyond itsmandate. TheaimofPartIofthenon-paper hadbeentoshare
Norway 'spositive experience asaparty totheWTO Agreement onGovernment Procurement andthe
European Economic AreaAgreement. Norway 'sparticipation inthese international agreements had
contributed tomoreefficient procurement through cheaper andmorecompetitive bids,aswellasthrough
professional procuring entities andsuppliers. This"win-win" situation tothebenefit ofallparties
concerned, notleasttheconsumers andtaxpayers, wastoaconsiderable degree theresult ofincreased
transparency ingovernment procurement. Thus, thepoints made regarding possible objectives and
effects ofatransparency agreement inPartIIofthenon-paper hadtobeseeninthelightofthepositive
experience gained through Norway 'sparticipation ininternational agreements inthefieldofgovernment
procurement. Inthelongterm, similar benefits might reasonably beexpected fromaWTO agreement
ontransparency ingovernment procurement. Thethird tiretinPartIIshould beunderstood more
asapotential effect thanasaprimary goal. Norway didnotwishtopre-empt thediscussion onthis
point. Atransparency agreement should confine itself totransparency questions ingovernment
procurement. Suggestions tothisendweretobefound inPartIIIofthenon-paper, which contained
alistofelements thatmight beincluded inatransparency agreement. InNorway 'sview, suchan
agreement should alsocontain provisions onenforcement. Regarding thescope ofthetransparency
agreement inPartIV,Norway 'sthinking wastentative andherdelegation didnotwanttoprejudge
anyspecific limitations atthisstage.
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B. TRANSPARENCY-RELATED PROVISIONS INEXISTING INTERNATIONAL
INSTRUMENTSONGOVERNMENTPROCUREMENTANDNATIONALPROCEDURES
AND PRACTICES
4. Therepresentatives ofKorea, Tunisia, Hungary, Japan andPoland summarized themainpoints
oftheir submissions containing factual information ontheir national procedures andpractices
(WT/WGTGP/W/7-9 andJobNos. 6329 and6691 respectively).
5. Foritsconsideration ofthisagenda item, theWorking Group hadbefore itaSecretariat note,
"Synthesis oftheInformation Available onTransparency-Related Provisions inExisting International
Instruments onGovernment Procurement Procedures andNational Practices" (WT/WGTGP/W/6).
TheWorking Group hadadetailed discussion taking upinturnthesubjects ofSections II-Xofthe
Secretariat note, together withthetopics ofspecial anddifferential treatment fordeveloping countries
andtechnical cooperation. Inorder tofacilitate further discussion ofthese items atitsnextmeeting,
theWorking Group noted thattheChairman would draw up,withtheassistance oftheSecretariat,
alistoftheissues thathadbeenraised, together withthepoints made onthese issues, under eachof
theitems thatithaddiscussed.1Thelistwould bewithout prejudice towhether theGroup would
decide toinclude orexclude anyparticular aspect fromtheelements thatitmight eventually develop.
TheChairman urged delegations, wherever possible, tomake written contributions ontheissues before
theGroup prior toitsnextmeeting.
C. REQUESTSFOROBSERVERSTATUSFROMINTERGOVERNMENTALORGANIZATIONS
6. Inresponse toarequest byUNCITRAL, theWorking Group agreed togrant observer status
totheUnited Nations, represented byUNCITRAL, onthebasis ofreciprocity withrespect toaccess
toproceedings, documents andother aspects ofobservership. TheWorking Group agreed toinvite
onanadhocbasis theOECD andSELA toattend itsnextmeeting asobservers.
D. OTHER BUSINESS
(i) Report totheGeneral Council
7. TheWorking Group considered adraft ofitsreport totheGeneral Council which was
subsequently circulated toandadopted byMembers.2
(ii) Organization ofwork during 1998
8. TheWorking Group agreed toholdthree substantive meetings in1998, itbeing understood
thatthethirdmeeting would haveafocus ontheadoption ofthereport totheGeneral Council but
withflexibility totakeupothermatters. Informal meetings would beheldasnecessary buttheirnumber
would bekepttoaminimum. Thefirsttwomeetings oftheGroup in1998 willbeheldon19-
20February andon11-12 June.
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1Tobecirculated inJobNo.73
2Subsequently circulated inWT/WGTGP/1