Public procurement regulation is the body of law dealing with the way in which public authorities award contracts. Procurement by public bodies has implications for a number of areas of law, in particular trade and competition law and administrative law. Failure to comply with publicprocurement rules can lead to public bodies being sued by unsuccessful contractors (or their governments), under national, EC or WTO law.The object of this study is to show why procurement is regulated at all and to provide an understanding of the differences between national and regional systems and a guide to the emerging international system. This book will provide an essential international and comparative perspective on thefoundations of procurement for academics, practitioners and policy makers.

Peter Trepte is a barrister specialising in public procurement and competition law. In the case of regulated procurement, he advises and represents public and private sector clients on the impact of national and EU procurement rules as well as the application of the WTO's Government Procurement Agreement and the effect on the procurement rules of the EU's preferential trade agreements. In an international context, he has advised a number of countries in Eastern and Central Europe, the Middle East and Asia on procurement and has been involved in the drafting of appropriate procurement legislation and guidelines. He has acted as procurement legislation consultant to the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, the EU, OECD and USAID. He was one of three Dispute Panel members in the GPA procurement dispute between the United States and South Korea. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.