College meeting: Increasing the impact of public investment
The Commission i discusses current political developments in Europe and assists Member States to take full advantage of the possibilities of public procurement
The College was debriefed following the Digital Summit in Tallinn last week, including on the informal dinner on the future of Europe. Commissioners also discussed the latest state of play concerning the trade negotiations with Mercosur and prepared the 14th EU i-India Summit which will take place in New Delhi on 6 October 2017 where the EU will be represented by Jean Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission and by Donald Tusk, President of the European Council. Finally, the College held a discussion on latest political developments in Europe, including events in Spain.
Increasing the impact of public investment through efficient and professional procurement
The Commission presented today concrete initiatives to further stimulate investment in the EU and strengthen the Single Market by increasing the impact of public investment through efficient and professional procurement.
The measures aim at unlocking the full potential of public procurement worth €2 trillion yearly (14% of EU GDP) and ensuring that taxpayer money is spent efficiently and effectively in the common European interest.
The Commission encourages Member States to develop a strategic approach to procurement policies, focusing on greater uptake of innovative, green and social criteria in awarding public contracts; professionalisation of public buyers; improving access by SMEs to procurement markets in the EU and by EU companies in third countries; increasing transparency, integrity and quality of procurement data; digitisation of procurement processes; and more cooperation among public buyers across the EU.
A voluntary ex-ante assessment of large infrastructure projects will help clarify the complex rules that apply to large-scale procurement. The Commission will set up a helpdesk that can answer specific questions at an early stage related to projects with an estimated value over €250 million. For projects of high importance for the Member State concerned or with a total estimated value above €500 million, relevant authorities will be able to ask the Commission to check the complete procurement plan for compatibility with EU procurement legislation, significantly reducing uncertainties and the risk of delays and legal challenges. The mechanism is voluntary, the Commission's advice is nonbinding, and information will be handled subject to strict confidentiality requirements.
The Commission also recommends steps to be taken by Member States to ensure that public buyers have the business skills, technical knowledge and procedural understanding needed to comply with the rules and make sure that taxpayers get the best goods and services for their money. The Commission will facilitate the exchange of good practices and innovative approaches.
As the fourth strand of the initiative on public procurement, the Commission launched a public consultation to collect feedback on how to stimulate innovation through the procurement of goods and services. The consultation is open until 31 December and will feed into future guidance for public authorities.
The Commission will continue to support Member States in making full use of the possibilities offered by the new public procurement rules and looks forward to building a partnership with authorities and stakeholders to improve procurement on the ground.