IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 887 

Recognizing the World Trade Organization member, Chinese Taipei’s, accession to the Government Procurement Agreement on July 15, 2009, 

and extending hope and good faith that this will promote its domestic 

economy and position in the global economy. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 3, 2009 

Mr. ANDREWS (for himself, Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr. LYNCH, Mr. MELANCON, Mr. 

MORAN of Virginia, Mr. BOUSTANY, Mr. SPRATT, Mr. CASSIDY, and Mr. 

SCALISE) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on 

Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the World Trade Organization member, Chinese 

Taipei’s, accession to the Government Procurement 

Agreement on July 15, 2009, and extending hope and 

good faith that this will promote its domestic economy 

and position in the global economy. 

Whereas the GPA, signed into force in 1994, establishes an 

agreed framework of rights and obligations among its 

parties with respect to their national laws, regulations, 

procedures, and practices in the area of government procurement; 


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•HRES 887 IH 

Whereas it is classified as a ‘‘plurilateral’’ agreement in accordance with Annex 4 of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (WTO) and 

does not include all member states of the WTO, the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) represents an 

elite trading body; 

Whereas the GPA maintains beneficial relationships between 

its parties through its scope being expanded to incorporate a series of bilateral agreements between individual 

parties (Article XXIV: 6); 

Whereas in order to maintain the fair plurilateral and cooperative nature of the Agreement, in addition to promoting 

economic growth between parties, special rules and procedures have been enacted; 

Whereas of particular interest is the provision disallowing 

‘‘cross-retaliation’’, the suspension of concessions or other 

obligations under the GPA as a result of disputes arising 

under the other WTO Agreements because of any dispute 

arising under the GPA (Article XXII: 7); 

Whereas in an effort to promote fair trading practices, the 

GPA has established a domestic bid challenge system, 

giving suppliers, believing that procurement has been 

handled inconsistently with the requirements of the GPA, 

a right of recourse to an independent domestic tribunal 

in which parties may confer the authority to hear challenges by suppliers in national courts or in an impartial 

and independent review body (Article XX); 

Whereas in order to maintain transparency within the WTO, 

each government must collect and provide to the other 

parties statistics on its procurement covered by the 

Agreement, in addition to the general requirement of 


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•HRES 887 IH 

publishing laws, regulations, judicial decision, administrative rulings, et al. (Article XIX: 5); and 

Whereas all members of the GPA have shown their dedication 

to promoting the global economy through the maintenance of these upstanding ideals: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) extends congratulations and welcomes Chi3 nese Taipei into the Government Procurement 

4 Agreement (GPA); 

5 (2) encourages Chinese Taipei to uphold the 

6 standards set forth by the GPA in an effort to pro7 mote and maintain good and beneficial economic re8 lations between WTO member states; and 

9 (3) strongly encourages Chinese Taipei and its 

10 government-owned entities to recognize and comply 

11 with international arbitration agreements and arbi12 tration awards as provided in the Treaty of Friend13 ship, Commerce and Navigation of 1978. 

Æ 


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