PUBLIC PROCUREMENT : COREPER AGREEMENT ON E-INVOICING.

The Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper) approved a provisional agreement on electronic invoicing in public procurement, reached in three-way talks on 21 January. Within a fairly short timeframe (two sessions of three-way talks) the European Parliament and the Council Presidency discussed measures of the future directive on e-invocing in public procurement, proposed by the Commission in June 2013 (4674). Coreper gave the green light to the provisional agreement on 24 January. "We have made an essential step towards the digitisation of public procurement contracts," said Kostis Hatzidakis on behalf of the Greek Presidency, which led the negotiations. Meanwhile, "this agreement - endorsed by the member states today - will contribute to eliminating barriers to cross-border public procurement," emphasised Internal Market Commissioner Michel Barnier.

An agreement was reached in 36 months on the development of a European standard, intended to resolve the current 'mess' of different legal...