In welcoming the Committee’s decision, Croatia pledged itself to uphold the values of the Agreement. The latter comprise non-discrimination, transparency and procedural fairness as tools to achieve best value for money in the procurement of goods, services and public works.

The GPA’s membership is growing continuously. Apart from Croatia, currently, a further ten WTO members have started the process of acceding to the Agreement (Albania, China, Georgia, Jordan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, New Zealand, Oman, Panama, and Ukraine). A further six members have commitments eventually to seek accession.

In addition to the Committee’s action on Croatia, it approved a request by the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia for observer status. The decision brings to 27 the total number of WTO members who are observers to the GPA. The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, in thanking the Committee, said that it had recently undertaken important reforms in its public procurement system to align it with best practices in the field. The GPA parties warmly welcomed it as an observer to the Agreement, and encouraged it to consider becoming a full-fledged party in the not too distant future.