Taiwan's Government Procurement - Ready to Open the Market?

January 31, 2003 | BY

clpstaff &clp articles

Taiwan joined the WTO in 2002 and is currently scheduled to sign the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) in March 2003. Is Taiwan's regulatory environment ready to accommodate foreign bidders?

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The purpose of the GPA is to open as much government purchasing as possible to international competition. It should ensure that foreign suppliers and supplies receive the same treatment as nationals when bidding for purchasing contracts with central, state, provincial and local government authorities, and with government business enterprises and public utilities.

The GPA is a plurilateral WTO agreement. As such its particulars are binding only on the signatories to the agreement. Though all GPA members are WTO members, not all WTO members are subject to the GPA agreement. Currently, there are 25 signatories to the GPA, and several countries negotiating entry.