- “So your understanding in that sense is correct. And as regards the timeline for changes, um, so, uh, the commission work programme indeed announces the proposal for the second quarter of next year. We have now presented the evaluation report and just launched a public consultation and call for evidence, which is open until the 26th of January next year. On the basis of this, we will prepare an impact assessment for the Regulatory Scrutiny Board. Prior to and in preparation of the legislative proposal. I hope this answers your questions. Um, then on the question whether we, uh, support or not more negotiations in public procurement processes. Um, again. At this stage, I cannot pre-empt what will be in the Commission legislative proposal. What I can share is that there are a lot of calls, both from public buyers and from economic operators, for more flexibility in the use, for more negotiation in public procurement procedures. And we will be looking into this. Um, on the professionalisation of contracting bodies and public buyers. Um, this, of course, is first and foremost the responsibility of member states. And the question will be how we at European level can support this capacity building by Member States. We have in the past taken a number of steps in this direction. Um, be they exchanges of good practices, also financial support as part of the RFP for certain member states. And we will be looking into further measures, how to continue this and on this and on all other issues. We'll be happy to hear your views and ideas as well. Thank you very much.”
EU Single Market harmonisation · EU policy on sustainability criteria in public funding
- “And these priorities include a simplification agenda and reduction of administrative burden, both for the public buyers, the contracting authorities and economic operators. Um, I take note of Mr. Schwab's statement that, um, any further future EU rules should not, uh, over describe what should be bought. And um also his statement on buy European. Um turning to the issue of SMEs that was highlighted by um madam honourable member. So indeed, um, it is a constant, um, objective of EU procurement policy as well as that of the member states to improve the participation of SMEs. Our evaluation showed that the participation is broadly in terms of value, in line with the share of SMEs in the economy overall, which is not to say that it cannot be improved. Um, and we will be looking as part of our impact assessment at measures how we can further facilitate the access of SMEs to public procurement procedures. And this, of course, to a degree linked to the simplification agenda that was already mentioned. The easier we make the participation, the more we can reduce the burden of participating in public procurement and reduce entry barriers, the easier it will be for SMEs to participate. So this is an important angle, uh, for us. Uh, Well, I do confirm that, um, our evaluation shows that for higher value calls for, uh, tenders, there is a higher number of bids submitted than than for lower ones.”
EU Single Market harmonisation
- “Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Honourable members, for these contributions. I'll take them in turn. I think the commission is in full agreement, uh, with, uh, the honorable member, Andreas Schwab, that the single market barriers should be reduced further in order to facilitate cross-border trade and investment in services and goods. And naturally, with such a reduction in the single market barriers, indeed, the cross-border public procurement, whether it is direct or indirect, would increase as well. These two things are evidently linked and related on the issue of the thresholds. Um, these are indeed defined in the WTO government procurement agreement to which the EU is party, and this agreement foresees an adjustment of these thresholds every two years, in line with the fluctuation of the relationship of the currencies of the signatory members. Um and we are currently in the process of proceeding with such an update. This means that the EU cannot unilaterally change these thresholds. What it can do and does do is use its weight at the WTO GPA discussions to look at a potential review of these thresholds, which would have to be agreed at the level of the WTO GPA. The Union is legally bound, as a member and signatory of the GPA agreement, to implement the thresholds defined at the WTO level, um. A further important statement by Mr. Schwab related to the prioritisation of simplification. Um, I of course can here at this stage not, uh, pre-empt what the commission proposals in next year will include, and this is also not decided yet. We have only just launched a public consultation, which I'd like to make you aware of, and that seeks the input of all interested parties and to, uh, different, uh, possibilities of policy action on the main priorities as we see them for the reform.”
EU Single Market harmonisation
- “Thank you very much. Madam chair, thank you very much for having us. I'm afraid I don't speak Swedish. I feel a bit handicapped, but I could speak German. But I'll. I'll stick to English. The rapporteur referenced to it already in her presentation. At a time of global turbulence, as we experiencing the single market is clearly one of our biggest assets. Um, it's a continent sized market for 150 million consumers, 23 million Billion businesses. And as the EVP said earlier, a strong single market, a barrier free single market is certainly part of our answer to global protectionism. On on the rise. But of course, to use the single market potential, we will have to make it work probably even better than it does today. We have to take down a still existing regulatory and administrative barriers as too many obstacles remain. And the services single market is perhaps one example. The EU at present does not trade more services inside the single market than it does with third countries, which is very different to products. Um. The executive vice president has announced his single market strategy, which he invited him to, to present here. I heard at the end, um, in time for the European Council that has requested it And I think it's against this background that your report is very timely. Um, as an input to the ongoing preparations and discussion, and I think the commission agrees with, uh, with much of it. Uh, you refer to the need for proportionate regulation to reduce administrative and regulatory burden. I agree with the speakers that spoke before that this does not mean reducing standards. Um, I do not think this is a zero sum game either. Um, so, um, this, I believe strongly is possible. And we have to ensure regulatory coherence.”
EU Single Market harmonisation · EU restrictions on unfair commercial practices
- “Thank you very much for these additional interventions. Um, given this is my second round of responses, I think I will focus on the specific questions that were put to the commission. Um, honourable chair, you mentioned the corruption risk that continue to exist in public procurement processes. And indeed, the evaluation highlights that, um, there is often missing data or that data does not have the quality that it could have. Um, and, uh, indeed, uh, we believe that this is an important shortcoming and, uh, it results in transparency levels that are less elevated than there could be, um, and perhaps should be. So, um, digitization and uh, IT technologies today are significantly more advanced than they were at the time. The existing rules were proposed by the Commission and adopted by the Co-legislator. And so we will explore how a further digitisation of procurement procedures can, on the one hand, simplify, but also on the other hand, contribute to transparency and quality data in the system, and the impact assessment will look at options of how this can be improved. It will also, in response to your second question, um, look at how we can continue to improve the participation of SMEs by, as mentioned, reducing administrative obstacles and or looking at what is referred to as lotting, which means the division of larger contracts into smaller contracts that make them more attractive to to SMEs. Um by European for the Commission means by European means by within the single market.”
EU Single Market harmonisation · Digitalization of public governance & administration
- “Um, ensure that single market principles are taken into account in legislation that is adopted in different policy fields. You rightly refer to that in your draft report. I believe this is this is very important. Um, and um, to reduce reporting requirements that are unnecessary. I think that's the key word here is important to you have a commissioned legislative proposal on the establishment of a common portal for the declaration of posted workers on the table that does exactly that. Try to reduce the administrative burden for companies, while at the same time guaranteeing the protection of posted workers and administrative corporations. So I see that as very much in that spirit of what you call for in the draft report. And clearly, enforcement is key. There are several dimensions to enforcement. We often talk about infringements. It was mentioned earlier as well that in our view, if you want the final stage of enforcement that comes after collaboration with the member States and after preventing unnecessary barriers coming in the first place. So there is prevention, there is collaboration, and then there is the classic infringement action as three pillars, as we see it, of an enforcement, an efficient enforcement, um, strategy. One item that has been referred to by several speakers are impact assessments, including on tertiary legislation. Here, the commission position is that where on substance the item has been covered in the secondary legislation and the impact assessment that the Commission tabled with it, then a separate impact assessment on tertiary regulation is no longer necessary. But where this was not the case, of course it is. And with that, I thank you very much for the invitation again, and I will learn Swedish for next time.”
EU Single Market harmonisation · EU regulation of cross-border and posted workers
- “Mr. chair, honourable members, I apologize for the delay. Obviously, the Commission has to learn still from the efficiency of the Parliament, but we will try to keep up with you. So, um, the evaluation is, as always, a first important step for the announced revision, in this case of the public procurement framework. In its assessment of what works and what doesn't work, it provides a basis for our forward looking work that Executive Vice President XI Jinping has set out in the plenary of this House. Three overall priorities for one is to ensure that public procurement policy and legislation is contributing to an efficient public investment strategy of the Union. And this implies, above all, an important simplification of the existing procurement procedures that this House has also called for in its own initiative report. Secondly, as announced also by president von der Leyen in her state of the Union speech in September, the Made in Europe Vision that is supporting the competitiveness and capacity economic capacity of, uh, of the Union. And thirdly, the strategic role of procurement, given its size, um, to foster long term benefits, in addition to, uh, purely economic benefits, those of environmental and social sustainability as well as innovation. Um. So, um, you will have seen the inclusion of the revision of the procurement directives in the Commission Work Programme 2026 for the second quarter next year. And we look forward to to working with you on this. Thank you very much.”
"Buy European" provisions · EU policy on sustainability criteria in public funding
- “It does not mean bi national, and therefore we are very clear that this must not lead to protectionism by member states to bi national. But it has to be what the word says, namely by European. Um. Turning to other questions that were put on the social and environmental sustainability as part of the impact assessment, we will indeed look at different policy options on the main aspects within, for example, socially sustainable procurement. And indeed, it will be an important question to consider as the European Parliament has also discussed in the context of its own initiative report, whether these measures should be voluntary or mandatory. Um, I'm looking What other specific questions were put? Um, strategic objectives and, uh, lowest price. Um, we often find that these two are put one against the other in political discussions. Um, we have seen evidence that this is not necessarily one or the other. Um, you can buy, uh, strategically and you can buy, for example, sustainably, uh, and at the same time achieve a high economic value for, uh, for taxpayers money. So, um, playing these objectives off against each other, um, may not always be, uh, the, uh, supported by the evidence in, in the market. I think this has answers all specific questions unless I have missed one. In which case, please accept my apologies and I'll come back to those.”
"Buy European" provisions · EU Single Market harmonisation · Sustainable corporate governance