European Commission outlines public procurement reform

The European Commission is to make efforts to reform public sector procurement and supply chain processes in order to support economic growth.

A series of revisions to public procurement directives are to be introduced with the aim of simplifying rules to make them more flexible.

They will include measures to reduce the administrative burden of public tendering and make processes more open to small and medium-sized businesses, while the current system of concessions will also be revised.

The aim of these measures is to ensure optimum use of public funds in matters of supply chain management, with purchasing of goods, works and services currently accounting for 18 per cent of GDP among EU member states.

Michel Barnier, the European commissioner responsible for the internal market and services, said: "This reform is necessary, ambitious and realistic. The current directives have proven their worth. But directives must move with the times."

This comes after a report from the UK Carbon Trust Advisory observed that many companies worldwide are currently also paying greater attention to carbon footprint issues created by their supply chains.