New rules for public procurement: EP Internal Market Committee proposes clear line

Following today's adoption in committee of the legislative proposal of the European Parliament and of the Council on public procurement, the EPP Group Shadow Rapporteur on the revision of the Public Procurement Directive, Frank Engel MEP, and the EPP Group Coordinator in the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee, Andreas Schwab MEP, said:

"The EPP Group played a leading role in negotiating the compromise, leading to good results. Even though we do not agree with certain parts of the package, important milestones have been reached."

"The EPP Group particularly welcomes that Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) will be able to participate more easily in Europe-wide public tenders: the European Procurement Passport for SMEs, valid for one year, will considerably reduce bureaucratic procedures for these companies."

It was also important for the EPP Group that taking environmental and social criteria into account remains possible voluntarily, when they are closely linked to the subject matter of the contract and can be objectively measured, both MEPs said. "Keeping existing rules in place is a basic prerequisite for a functioning tendering system", said Frank Engel MEP.

Following today's vote, rules on sub-contracting remain within the competences of Member States but will be more transparent, providing for responsibilities for the main contractor being more clearly defined and thus reducing the risk of abuse.

Andreas Schwab MEP highlighted that the vote strengthens local self-governance even though not all rules for co-operation between two or more public entities are as unbureaucratic as the EPP Group pushed for.