GPA (WTO Government Procurement Agreement)

The Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) is a plurilateral treaty under the World Trade Organization designed to open public procurement markets among its member countries. It establishes binding commitments for participating governments to treat suppliers from other GPA member countries with non-discrimination, transparency, and fairness in high-value procurement markets. Essentially, when a country and a specific procurement fall under GPA coverage, foreign companies from other GPA countries can compete under agreed-upon procedures similar to how companies within the EU access each other’s procurement markets.

The GPA originated as the “Tokyo Round Government Procurement Code” in 1979 and took effect in 1981 under GATT. It was renegotiated during the Uruguay Round and became a WTO agreement in 1996. A major revision adopted in 2012 entered into force in 2014, expanding procurement coverage and modernizing the agreement. Only WTO members that explicitly join the GPA are bound by it, with the EU—as a bloc—joining in 1996. Not all WTO members are parties, but the GPA continues to expand through accession negotiations and invites broader market access.

In practice, the GPA broadens procurement opportunities for economic operators across member countries, while ensuring fair competition and oversight. Suppliers benefit from transparency and access to foreign public contracts that value above certain thresholds. For governments, it ensures adherence to clear procedural standards that facilitate efficient procurement and reduce protectionist barriers. The GPA also provides mechanisms for supplier complaints and formal dispute resolution to reinforce its integrity and enforceability.