Update of public procurement rules "prepares the ground" for a simpler bidding process
Posted, December 21, 2011 @ 13:00
Proposed new rules on public procurement announced today (Tuesday) are a significant step towards increased competitiveness in Europe and easier bidding, especially for smaller companies, a senior MEP has said.
Commenting on plans for a modernisation of EU public procurement rules, announced by Internal Market Commissioner Michel Barnier, Malcolm Harbour MEP said: "We will continue to work with the commission because we want to see bidding for public contracts made as simple as possible for smaller businesses, while still making sure there is transparency, fairness and value for money. But this is a helpful start."
Mr Harbour, European Conservatives and Reformists group spokesman on the Single Market, said the proposals represented "a timely effort to ensure the sound expenditure of taxpayer money and give a much needed boost to European competitiveness by easing access for small and medium-sized enterprises and strengthening innovation.
"We warmly welcome the simplification of the procedures by reducing documentation requirements for bidders and encouraging contracts to be divided into lots to ease access for smaller companies.
Mr Harbour, the Conservative MEP for the West Midlands who chairs the European Parliament's Internal Market Committee, continued: "I am delighted that the commission has heard our message that more needs to be done to tap the potential of the public sector's buying power, which will also help small and medium-sized enterprises access new markets and provide innovative solutions to the delivery of public services".
"We are also pleased to see that the commission is introducing life-cycle-costs as criteria for awarding public contracts. This will allow public authorities to take into consideration not only the prices of goods and services, but also the method of production factoring in environmental considerations.
"I would have liked to see more flexibility when awarding public contracts - but that is something to work on.
"The committee will now be reviewing the commission's proposals to ensure that they strike the right balance between introducing flexibility, openness and safeguarding the openness of the Single Market.