The agenda consisted of four items: negotiations on government procurement under Article XIII of the GATS, negotiations on emergency safeguards under Article X of the GATS, next meeting of the Working Party, and Other Business.
The Chairman observed that in deciding how to respond to the Article XIII negotiating mandate on government procurement, it was important to consider what lessons could be drawn from the existing plurilateral Government Procurement Agreement (GPA).
Transparent procurement arrangements required timely publication of information on tenders and tendering decisions, equitable procedures based on clear criteria, and effective arrangements to deal with any disputes that may arise.
Among the other issues mentioned by delegations, upon which more information might be useful, were the reasons why countries had not signed the GPA, the economic impact of procurement activity, and the experience of governments with procurement regimes under regional trade agreements.
The Chairman informed the Working Party that, as agreed at an earlier meeting, he had conferred with the Chairman of the Committee on Government Procurement, and had agreed to maintain contact as work proceeded.
One delegation said that while there was no doubt that practical difficulties and conceptual challenges would arise in the design of any safeguard mechanism, these factors should not prevent Members from examining the fundamental question as to whether or not there was a case for an emergency safeguard provision under GATS.
Some delegations said that what was important at this stage was that Members should engage seriously in negotiations on the subject, and not merely state a position for or against a safeguard mechanism.
In response to a request from a number of delegations, the Chairman said that the Secretariat would prepare a further note on safeguards, focusing on the applicability to trade in services of concepts and principles used in the goods context in the Agreement on Safeguards.