GPA 2012 Tenth Anniversary Session
Communication
from Australia, the European Union, Switzerland and
the United States
Concept note
Overview of Session
This year marks the ten-year anniversary of the entry into force of the
WTO Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA 2012) in 2014. At the March 2024
meeting of the Committee on Government Procurement, the GPA Parties agreed that
it would be appropriate to hold a session to mark this occasion at the October
2024 meeting of the Committee. The session will provide an opportunity to look
back on the achievements of the Agreement, and to consider how the benefits of
the Agreement can be extended into the future.
As advised at the June 2024 meeting, the format of the session will be
as follows:
Date and Time: Wednesday 9 October, 2-5pm (following the Committee
meeting)
Location: WTO Room D / Zoom
Interpretation: available in all three official WTO languages
Format: Hybrid (in person for WTO Members and GPA observers, and virtual for
interested external stakeholders)
Structure: Two panel discussions with opening remarks and a short break in between
Audience: All WTO Members and any interested external stakeholders
A drinks reception,
hosted by Australia and Switzerland, will follow the session.
Agenda
Event MC: Martin Zbinden, Chair of the Committee
on Government Procurement; Deputy Permanent Representative of Switzerland to
the WTO
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14:00-14:15
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Opening remarks
Dr Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala, WTO Director-General
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14:15-15:20
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Panel 1: The history of the GPA 2012
This panel will inaugurate the 10-year
anniversary celebrations of the GPA, bringing together both negotiators who
shaped its revision and successors who have implemented these changes. The
discussion will explore the GPA's historical evolution, highlighting how
negotiated enhancements have broadened international market access, increased
transparency, and fostered fair competition. By combining insights from
architects and implementers of the revised GPA, the panel aims to assess its
impact, look into the celebrate its lessons learnt and pave the way to the
second panel to discuss the upcoming challenges and opportunities.
Moderator: Ambassador María Pagán, Permanent Representative of the United States
to the WTO
Panelists:
- Nicholas Niggli, Associate
Principal, Nature Finance; Chairperson of WTO Committee on Government Procurement 2007-2012
- Robert Anderson, Professor,
University of Nottingham; Counsellor, WTO Government Procurement and
Competition Team 1997-2019
- Bonifacio Garcia Porras, Head of
SMEs Unit, Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship
& SMEs, European Commission
- Jean Grier, International Trade
Principal, Djaghe LLC; former Senior Procurement Negotiator, Office of the US
Trade Representative
- Peter Bennett, former Senior Policy Advisor, Public
Procurement, UK Cabinet Office
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15:20-15:50
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Break
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15:50-16:55
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Panel 2: Harnessing the benefits of the GPA
2012 for the future
This session will look at the benefits that
accrue from GPA membership, and how the GPA Parties can amplify those
benefits in the context of the evolving procurement landscape. It will
include discussion on the opportunities for governments and suppliers
presented by the increased market competition provided by the GPA, and how
suppliers of Parties can better access opportunities both at home and in the
markets of other GPA Parties. Further, the discussion will consider the
increased focus on good governance and how governments can prioritise
governance in public procurement, including in relation to transparency,
anti-corruption, accountability and integrity.
Moderator: Didier Chambovey, former Ambassador and Permanent
Representative of Switzerland to WTO
Panelists
- Leonor Obando,
Government Procurement Coordinator, Ministry of Foreign Trade, Costa Rica
- Alex Naef,
Chief Executive Officer, Hess AG
- Samira
Musayeva, Senior Legal Officer, UN Commission on International Trade Law
(UNCITRAL)
- Gavin Hayman,
Executive Director, Open Contracting Partnership
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16:55-17:00
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Conclusion
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17:00-19:00
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Drinks Reception
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