US embassy cable - 04ROME4678

UNCLAS ROME 004678 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE PASS RDOWNES 
USTR FOR JGRIER 
USDOC FOR SPIETAN & JLIUZZI 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: ETRD, IT, WTO 
SUBJECT: Italy: WTO Government Procurement Agreement Market 
Access Revision. 
 
Refs: A) STATE 214729, B) Rome 04236 C) Reddy-Downes e- 
mails D) Dilworth -Ippolito telecon 
 
1.  This message responds to reftel A request for our 
suggestions on possible areas for expansion of Italy's 
market access commitments under the World Trade 
Organization (WTO) Government Procurement Agreement (GPA). 
 
2. The following are Embassy responses to questions A to D 
of reftel A para 5. 
 
Question A.  According to Italy's annex to the EU Directive 
on Government Procurement (WT/Let/472, dated May 1, 2004), 
there are seventeen central contracting authorities subject 
to the EU Directive and the WTO Government Procurement 
Agreement, including the Presidency of the Council of 
Ministers and sixteen other central government ministries. 
Separate annexes to the Directive (Annexes 2 and 3 of 
Appendix I to WT/Let/472) list a number of local and/or 
specialized bodies that adhere to the Directive, including 
the Agency for Promoting Development of the Mezzogiorno, 
port and airport authorities (for supplies only), the 
Consortia for Water Engineering Works, and others.  GOI 
contacts report there are over 22,000 contracting agencies 
at both the central and local levels, with the latter 
including Regions, Provinces, Municipalities and entities 
owned by Municipalities. 
 
We are not aware of any central or local Italian government 
entity, not covered by the Annexes, undertaking 
procurements in which U.S. companies have been prevented 
from participating. 
 
Question B.  We are not aware of any services areas in 
which U.S. companies have sought to participate, but have 
been excluded, taking into consideration EU (and therefore, 
Italian) derogations from the provisions of Article III of 
the EU Directive on Government Procurement. 
 
Question C.  The general notes and derogations from Article 
II of Appendix I of the EU Derogation exclude U.S. 
suppliers and service providers from the award of 
services/supply contracts to airports, water, and urban 
transport providers.  Embassy believes these are areas that 
could be opened to U.S. firms. 
 
Question D.  See response to Question C directly above. 
 
 
Sembler 
 
 
NNNN 
	2004ROME04678 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED