What is the
Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
Also known as: WTO Agreement on Government Procurement, GPA 2012
The Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) is a World Trade Organization (WTO) treaty that opens public procurement markets among its signatory countries. The agreement ensures that suppliers from member countries can compete for government contracts on equal terms, based on the principles of national treatment, non-discrimination, and transparency.
How does the GPA work?
The GPA is a plurilateral agreement, meaning it does not apply to all WTO members — only those that have actively acceded to it. Currently, the agreement has 22 parties covering 49 WTO members, including the EU and its 27 member states, the United States, Japan, Canada, Norway, and the United Kingdom. The original agreement entered into force on 1 January 1996, and a revised version (GPA 2012) took effect on 6 April 2014.
In practice, the GPA requires contracting authorities in signatory countries to treat suppliers from other GPA countries no less favourably than domestic suppliers in covered procurement. This creates reciprocal market access across all participating countries.
Thresholds and coverage
The GPA sets its own threshold values denominated in SDR (Special Drawing Rights), which are converted to national currencies every two years. As of 2026, the main EU thresholds aligned with the GPA are:
- Goods and services (central government): EUR 140,000
- Goods and services (sub-central government): EUR 216,000
- Construction contracts: EUR 5,404,000
The agreement covers most goods, services, and construction works, but certain areas are excluded — including concession contracts, defence and security procurement, and some utilities sector contracts.
Reciprocity and dispute resolution
A core principle of the GPA is reciprocity: market access is granted only to the extent that the other party offers equivalent access. Suppliers who believe their rights under the GPA have been violated can challenge procurement decisions through national review bodies or, ultimately, through the WTO's dispute settlement mechanism.
Tools like Cobrief can help suppliers monitor contract notices and find relevant public tenders across international markets.
The GPA covers procurement worth an estimated USD 1.7 trillion annually, making it one of the most significant international frameworks for opening government markets to cross-border competition.