GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT

Technical cooperation activities

Under the declaration adopted by ministers in Doha in 2001, the WTO Secretariat undertakes an annual programme of technical cooperation activities to assist developing and least-developed countries in participating effectively in the WTO's work on government procurement.


Introduction

The technical cooperation programme aims to promote awareness and understanding of the plurilateral WTO Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) and the relationship between trade and  domestic government procurement policies. It also seeks to enhance participants' knowledge about related WTO work and activities, in this area, and related developments at the bilateral and regional levels, to promote the exchange of information and experience-sharing among participants, and to identify and discuss challenges faced by them.

The activities mainly include:

  • national workshops on the GPA;
  • regional workshops on the GPA;
  • workshops and symposia on the GPA in Geneva;
  • GPA-related components in broader WTO technical cooperation activities, including the WTO's advanced and regional trade policy courses.

To facilitate and extend participation, the WTO Secretariat is also working on the development of an e-learning course on government procurement, which will soon be available as part of the WTO ECampus courses.

The technical cooperation activities typically include modules on:

  • the economic and social significance of government procurement;
  • developments in the region in which the workshop is being conducted;
  • the basic architecture of the GPA;
  • GPA coverage issues;
  • procedural aspects of procurement and their relation to transparency, competition and non-discrimination;
  • developing country issues, including the role of special and differential treatment; and
  • compliance issues, including both domestic review procedures and the application of the WTO Dispute Settlement Understanding in relation to the GPA.

In addition, the activities may also cover specific aspects, such as  the prevention and detection of collusive tendering, the prevention of corrupt practices, sustainability in government procurement and the importance of electronic procurement tools.

All WTO Secretariat technical cooperation activities on the GPA follow an interactive format, emphasizing small group practical exercises in addition to question and answer sessions and traditional lectures. The practical exercises permit participants to reflect on national objectives in this area in addition to deepening their understanding of relevant WTO activities and instruments.

The activities frequently involve significant cooperation with other international organizations, regional bodies, expert bodies from WTO members and academic institutions. Such organizations include the World Bank, the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the national governments of WTO members and observer countries in the relevant regions.

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How to request a national seminar 

Within the WTO Secretariat, technical cooperation is coordinated by the Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation (ITTC), based on the technical assistance and training plans. To request a national seminar on government procurement, the government of the member should submit an online request to the ITTC and consult with the GPA team of the Secretariat on arrangements. More information is available on the webpage of ITTC.

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Technical cooperation events 

The list of GPA-related technical assistance activities can be viewed at:
TAMS | Technical Assistance Management System (wto.org)

 

 

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