PUBLIC PROCUREMENT : GIVING A BOOST TO E-PROCUREMENT.

The European Commission has decided to encourage the use of electronic means by governments for public procurement procedures. On 29 July, it adopted a number of measures intended to stimulate e-procurement in the European Union.

E-procurement involves more than simply replacing paper procedures with systems that use electronic communications. It has the potential to streamline and accelerate public purchasing, benefiting both purchasers and suppliers, along with European taxpayers. It will lead to more efficient management of procurement procedures, saving time and money. To optimise the use of public funds, the Commission considers that existing rules need to be changed to create more flexible and user-friendly tools and to reduce costs and the duration of contracting procedures. This is why the reform of public procurement legislation is one of the 12 priority actions presented in the Single Market Act adopted in April 2011.

According to the Commission, open and competitive public procurement procedures have already driven down costs by around 4% and generated savings of around 20 billion. Full conversion to e-procurement can save 50 to 70 billion a year, according to recent research by Deutsche Bank. The forthcoming revision of EU procurement rules will aim to build in the potential of electronic procurement means.

The actions launched on 29 July include:

the creation of an informal expert group on e-tendering: it will bring together experts in the design and implementation of e-procurement systems and policy strategies. By the end of 2012, it will develop a blueprint for common solutions for electronic submission of bids. The Commission invites qualified experts to apply for membership of the group. The deadline for...