APEC sets 1997 public procurement target<\/p>\n
TOKYO (AFP): The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
\nforum agreed yesterday to develop non-binding principles for
\ngovernment procurement by 1997 but was sharply divided over the
\ndetails, Japanese officials said.<\/p>\n
The officials said a group of APEC experts agreed to work
\ntowards the principles \"to put broad rules on government
\nprocurement\" as one of the free-trade measures to be endorsed at
\nthe group's summit in Osaka next month.<\/p>\n
\"They were sharply divided over the details,\" one official
\nsaid. \"Countries such as Japan, the United States and Canada,
\nwhich have already agreed to GATT rules on government
\nprocurement, are supportive.<\/p>\n
\"But others, including the ASEAN countries, claim it is too
\nearly to include such rules in the APEC agenda,\" he said,
\nreferring to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).<\/p>\n
Another Japanese official said the group agreed try to develop
\ninitial principles for government procurement over the next two
\nyears.<\/p>\n
\"We aim to achieve concrete principles starting in 1997 as a
\nmid-term project,\" he said. \"Clarifying government procurement is
\na major goal.\"<\/p>\n
The 18-member group is in the final stages of preparing an
\n\"action agenda\" for the Osaka summit, aimed at identifying how to
\nachieve the ambitious goal of free and open trade and investment
\nin the region over the next 25 years.<\/p>\n
The officials said the one-day meeting of experts made better
\nprogress in related areas, notably with an agreement in principle
\nto clarify and promote government procurement in the Asia-Pacific
\nregion.<\/p>\n
Research<\/p>\n
\"The group of experts agreed that APEC members should carry
\nout research and identify how government takes place,\" one
\nofficial said, adding that members would be required to submit
\nreports by December.<\/p>\n
Japanese officials said the group also agreed to promote the
\nidea of a data base for businesses to access government
\ninformation, possibly on the Internet.<\/p>\n
\"Countries such as Japan will lead this project,\" one official
\nsaid, noting that the Japan External Trade Organization, an
\naffiliate of the international trade and industry ministry, had
\nalready set up a similar data base.<\/p>\n
Recommendations made by the experts will be submitted to the
\ngroup's trade and investment committee this weekend ahead of a
\nfinal series of meetings between senior APEC officials in Tokyo
\nnext week to prepare for the summit.<\/p>\n
At last year's summit in Indonesia, APEC leaders agreed that
\nindustrialized members should achieve free trade and investment
\nin the region by 2010 with developing members following by 2020.<\/p>\n
APEC groups Brunei, Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Hong
\nKong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New
\nZealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan,
\nThailand and the United States.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/apec-sets-1997-public-procurement-target-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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