Commission launches initiative to improve public procurement
The Commission published yesterday a Communication on Making Public Procurement work in and For Europe. According to its press release, the 4 objectives of this initiative are:
- Definition of priority areas for improvement
- Voluntary ex-ante assessment of large infrastructure projects
- Recommendation on professionalisation of public buyers
- Consultation on stimulating innovation through public procurement
All of these initiatives warrant some though and consideration, but at a glance it is refreshing to see the Commission interested in the wider picture of public procurement instead of bringing its gaze as usual to the procedural aspects of how a purchase is conducted.
I've just talked with Albert and we'll be making a short procurement tennis session on these four topics over the next few days. His first entry on the voluntary ex-ante assessment is already up.