Past Events

26 - 27 June 2014, 13.00 - 13.00 - Brussels, Belgium

Bridge the Innovation Gap by Innovation Procurement

Bridge the Innovation Gap by Innovation Procurement

Public procurement makes up nearly a fifth of GDP in the European Union, providing a huge potential market for innovative products and services. Several EU Cities and Regions have participated successfully in a pioneering set of programmes with European public sector partners to spread best practice in new approaches for the procurement of R&D, innovative products and services.

This high-level event will offer an opportunity to hear first-hand from the Committee of Regions, the European Parliament, the European Commission and Cities and Regions how they are supporting the implementation of Public Procurement of Innovative Solutions (PPI) and Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP). In other words, how public purchasers are enabled to buy better and/or cheaper products and services while at the same time boosting innovation. From a European perspective, European Commission services will present 2015 calls for proposals as well as future financial instruments (Horizon 2020, CEF, Structural funds 2014-2020) to support the demand for innovation and innovative procurement.

The keynote speech by Mr. Rolf Alter, Director, OECD, will highlight how innovation procurement can bridge the Innovation Gap. A special focus will be placed on recent developments in the support of innovation procurement at regional and local level with examples from the Regions e.g. of Lombardy and North Rhine-Westphalia. Similar initiatives in European Cities will also be described.

Representatives from Cities and Regions, public policy officials, procurement experts and other innovation procurement policy stakeholders will be in attendance as well as experts from industry and SMEs. The event will ensure broad debate and lively discussion in formal sessions and also offer the opportunity for networking.

A more detailed agenda as well as registration details can be found on the event website. Registration is open until 18 June 2014 and places are allocated on a first come, first serves basis.