FIEC tackles issues related to public procurement in a dedicated working group.
Public procurement procedures in the EU are carried out based on national rules. For higher value contracts, these rules are based on general EU public procurement rules.
The current legislative framework on public procurement consists of three EU directives adopted in 2014 (2014/23/EU on concessions, 2014/24/EU on “classic” procurement and 2014/25/EU on “utilities” procurement). These rules are aimed at ensuring that public procurement procedures are transparent and fair.
Nevertheless, the current legislative framework has several shortcomings that need to be addressed (e.g., exclusion grounds, treatment of abnormally low tenders, selection criteria, …). One of the most pressing issues is the lack of adequate price adjustment mechanisms in public contracts, especially when considering the current economic climate.