To strengthen the Single Market and as part of the continuous effort to stimulate investment in the EU, today the Commission has put forward an initiative to carry out procurement more efficiently and in a sustainable manner, while making full use of digital technologies to simplify and accelerate procedures.

Strasbourg, 3 October 2017

Vice-President for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness Jyrki Katainen said: “We have put investment centre stage since taking office in November 2014, notably by attracting private capital with the Investment Plan for Europe. Now we want to unlock the full potential of public procurement in ensuring that the €2 trillion spent yearly in public services and products boost our economy, spur innovation and help meet sustainability goals.

Elżbieta Bieńkowska, Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, added: “We encourage public authorities to use public procurement strategically as a tool to obtain better value for taxpayers money and to contribute to a more innovative, sustainable, inclusive and competitive economy. The Commission will continue to assist Member States in doing so, and invites public authorities at all levels of government and other stakeholders to work in a broad partnership.”

Today’s initiative has four main strands: