OREANDA-NEWS. June 13, 2013. A delegation of the Russian Federation comprising representatives of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation and the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) took part in a meeting of the Committee of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Government Procurement in Geneva (Switzerland).

As a result of the meeting, the Russian Federation was granted observer status of the Committee on Government Procurement, which will enable Russia to take part in the work of the Committee, particularly, by analyzing the issues scrutinized by the Committee and presenting a Russian position.

Members of the Committee expressed their intention to assist Russia’s accession to the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement, which would come into effect within four years after Russia joining WTO. At the moment 42 countries are signatories to the Agreement.

A representative of the Russian Federation thanked WTO Secretariat for the assistance in obtaining observer status and informed the colleagues about the new Russian Law “On the Contract System in State and Municipal Procurement” (No.44-FZ) that comes into effect on 1st January 2014.