It is an international legally binding agreement which creates an open government procurement market among parties by:
Principles establishment
- It is based on principles of non-discrimination: the members must treat products, services, and suppliers of other members as favorably as their own.
- Transparency: the members should make public the legislation on procurement and opportunities for suppliers.
- Procedural fairness: parties should treat suppliers fair, including independent review of complaints.
Rules setting - The GPA sets rules for open and fair competition and transparency in government procurement.
Administering the agreement - The Committee on Government Procurement, composed of representatives from every party, administers the GPA.
Enforcing the agreement - The GPA is being enforced through domestic review mechanisms and the WTO dispute settlement mechanism.
The GPA covers: - procurement through purchase, lease, or rental
- Products, services, and works in construction
- The Parties listed in Annex I of the Agreement
- Procurement contracts with a value exceeding the established minimum thresholds
The coverage schedules in the GPA determine which procurement activities are covered under the agreement. Browse through the coverages by parties, notifications on thresholds, and modifications with respect to market access commitments. These can be found in the GPA database.
