Implementation Status of Government Procurement Related Articles of CEFTA

Brief Description of Main Deliverables/Outputs:
The overall objective of the project was to assist CEFTA Parties to review: – The status of implementation of CEFTA Agreement provisions on GP of goods, works and services (Articles 34-36 including Articles 26-29 on services); and – The progress in the opening of their GP markets. The purpose of this contract was to strengthen the efforts of CEFTA Parties to: – Ensure that the GP takes place in a transparent and reasonable manner; – Treat all suppliers of the other Parties equally; – Obtain that the procurement is based on the principle of open and effective competition; and – Achieve progressive and effective opening of its GP markets.

Role on the Assignment

The Consultant produced a set of outputs and deliverables which should assist CEFTA Parties in several assignments including:

Meetings with the representatives of relevant institutions to acquire more detailed information were organized in each CEFTA Party.

Conducted analyses of legal and institutional framework of the procurement process, including whether its enforcement in each CEFTA Party is compliant with the relevant CEFTA provisions, WTO rules and main principles and standards of the EU Acquis.

Assessed the capacities of regulatory and GP bodies.

Produced recommendations with the aim to full implementation of CEFTA related articles, alignment with the WTO rules and EU regulation and practices. All these having in consideration the integrity of the public procurement system, publicity in the work of public authorities, free access to information and remedies system.

Produced recommendations for improvement of availability and comparability of data, including bilateral and/or regional related issues in CEFTA Parties, in particular their non-discriminatory practices providing proposals for improvement.

Conducted analysis of the potential to intensify the cooperation amongst GP regulatory and implementation authorities in the Region, and proposed concrete forms of cooperation taking into account the existing forms of cooperation among regulatory and review bodies. Produced proposals for technical assistance to CEFTA Committee of Contact Points, regulators and GP bodies in the Region aimed to promote their activities and cooperation.