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<p>State aid and public procurement are separate issues. The state aid rules only
touch on state support which has not been given on commercial terms. On the other
hand, public procurement should be an entirely commercial process.</p><p> </p><p>The
UK will remain committed to the principles of non-discrimination, equal treatment
and transparency, as provided for in the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA)
and the Global Declaration Against Corruption.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has a
longstanding policy of value for money, through fair and open competition, in public
procurement. In line with our current international (not just EU) obligations, our
contracting authorities are required to treat suppliers from various other countries
on an equal footing with UK suppliers.</p><p> </p><p>This is a two-way street as it
gives our suppliers access to public procurement markets overseas. This allows us
to maximise value for money for the UK taxpayer, whilst ensuring that UK companies
are able to compete abroad.</p>
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