Electronic Government Procurement in the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement: An Opportunity for Increased Transparency and Accountability?

Abstract

The use of electronic government procurement systems has grown in recent years. Policy makers are increasingly employing e-government procurement tools to generate competition, increase transparency, streamline procuring processes and cut red tape to improve governance. This paper examines the rationale for e-government procurement provisions in bilateral trade agreements and highlights the benefits from using electronic systems. Using the case of the EU-Vietnam trade agreement we elaborate on how electronic government procurement can be a mechanism to enhance transparency and accountability, and reduce opportunities for corruption in Vietnam.