North Macedonia’s accession negotiations
To support GPA accession, tailored technical assistance activities were designed and delivered for the benefit of the North Macedonian negotiating team. Following, several rounds of negotiations, the Government, with EBRD support, is close to concluding the accession process.
North Macedonia’s accession negotiations: Providing technical assistance to support GPA accession.
After gaining Observer status in 2013, the Government of North Macedonia, initiated its GPA accession process in February 2018, with the support of the EBRD, by submitting its initial coverage offer. North Macedonia, a candidate country for EU accession, decided to accede to the GPA 2012 even before completing its ongoing EU accession process to benefit from the GPA’s market access opportunities as well as increase competition in its local procurement market.
Following the submission of the Initial Coverage Offer and the “Checklist of Issues,” North Macedonia has conducted seven rounds of negotiations with other GPA Parties in Geneva. EBRD experts have provided support and advice on conducting bilateral meetings and on drafting the subsequent market access offers. Additionally, advice was provided in drafting secondary procurement legislation to ensure GPA compliance.
To further support GPA accession, technical assistance activities were designed and delivered in the form of capacity building sessions conducted both in Skopje and in Geneva for the benefit of the North Macedonian negotiating team. In January 2019, a new PP law was adopted by the Parliament, transposing the 2014 EU Directives on Public Procurement and achieving full harmonization with the GPA. Likewise, the ratification of the Prespa Agreement in January 2019, resolving terminological differences, also contributed to the progress of the negotiations.
Currently, the negotiating team, with EBRD support, continues engaging with GPA Parties in between the Committee meetings to identify a solution in line with the requirements of all GPA Parties, thus, aiming to close the accession process as soon as practicable.
Key activities and outputs:
- Seven rounds of negotiations in Geneva with GPA Parties, as well as, four capacity building sessions organised by the EBRD, both in Skopje and Geneva between 2018 and 2022.
- The secondary legislation, enabling the law, was also drafted and adopted, with the support of the EBRD in 2019.
- The negotiating team, with EBRD support, continues engaging with GPA Parties, within and outside the Committee meetings to identify and design solutions to be consented by all GPA Parties.
