PUBLIC PROCUREMENT NEWS

  

News

18 February 2014

European Council adopts directives for the reform of public procurement

Following approval by the European Parliament, the European Council has adopted the revised public procurement directives, marking a major overhaul of public procurement rules across the EU. The revised directives aim to modernise public procurement, setting out new rules for public authorities and public utility operators. The review was carried out as part of the Single Market Act, a series of measures intended to boost the European economy.

The adopted legislative package intends to improve outcomes through making procurement more flexible and less administratively burdensome for public authorities. Societal goals will be better embedded into procurement processes, such as environmental protection, innovation, and employment.

The legislation also aims to improve market access for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by reducing participation requirements and simplifying documentation obligations. New measures to minimise conflicts of interest will come into force, as will obligations for member states to monitor and report on public procurement activity. This data will be used to improve the efficacy and uniform application of EU law in the field.

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