10 July 2018

Committee of the Regions Opinion on EU Public Procurement Strategy

In a plenary session last Thursday, the Committee of the Regions (CoR), representing regional authorities in Europe, adopted an opinion on the EU Public Procurement Strategy.

The committee supports the important role that strategic public procurement can play in addressing major challenges such as climate change, and in promoting digitalization, innovation, and social inclusion. It also noted the challenges linked to implementing the strategy on a local level, including the lack of capacity and resources in public authorities to overcome bureaucratic hurdles while harnessing the benefits of strategic public spending.

To overcome these challenges, the CoR highlighted the role of the Commission in providing further support to local procurement stakeholders and facilitating knowledge exchange on the professionalisation of public procurement practices toward effective strategic procurement.

Strategic procurement is also a focus of this year’s EcoProcura conference, 3 – 5 October in Nijmegen. High-profile presenters and panellists from the European Commission and public authorities will discuss how procurement has evolved as a tool for achieving strategic objectives, and practical sessions will also provide participants with opportunities to build capacity in strategic, sustainable, circular and innovation procurement.

To see the full statement from the CoR, please click here. For more information on EcoProcura, visit the website here.