There are a number of proposals regarding the way in which the WTO work in this area might be pursued in future. One option is the conclusion of a multilateral transparency agreement in the context of a new round, another being the continuation of the work in the Working Group. Moreover, a number of WTO Members have tabled draft agreements and are engaged in intensive consultations with their WTO partners with a view to preparing an agreement on transparency in government procurement that could be adopted by Ministers at Seattle. The Singapore mandate reflects the heavy emphasis placed throughout the WTO system of rules and practices on transparency. The role of transparency is perhaps of greatest importance in situations where the extent to which rules of general application determine trading conditions is limited and the scope for discretionary decision-making is greatest.
Government procurement is a notable example.
The GATT and now the WTO have for a long time had a plurilateral Agreement, presently with 26 Parties out of the 135 WTO Members, with detailed requirements in respect of transparency in government procurement. The object of the transparency provisions in this Agreement is not only to ensure that adequate information on procurement opportunities is made available and that decisions are fairly taken, but also to facilitate monitoring of the commitments made under that Agreement not to discriminate against suppliers and supplies from other Parties. The focus of the multilateral work presently under way on transparency in government procurement is somewhat different. First, as indicated, this work is multilateral in nature and aimed at drawing up an agreement to which all 135 WTO Members will be parties. Second, the focus is on transparency as such, rather than on transparency as a vehicle for monitoring market-access commitments.