WRITTEN QUESTION E-2537/96 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (8 October 1996)

Subject: Public procurement

On 14 and 15 January 1994 the Commission held a public meeting on the liberalization of public contracts within the framework of the internal market and access to such contracts for SMEs. The meeting was attended by experts, legal specialists, public buyers, company executives and representatives from professional organizations.

One of the main issues highlighted was the difficulties experienced by SMEs in gaining access to public procurement contracts. It was pointed out that, in order to ensure that SMEs derived the maximum benefit from the liberalization process, they required, inter alia, local partners, comprehensive assistance, clear, reliable and rapidly available information, and properly trained staff.

With a view to the above, would the Commission take steps to promote new alternatives and procedures to improve the various stages involved in the publication of calls for tenders by, for example, improving access and electronic dissemination together with internal certification of the transparency of the process (certificates), and to encourage more SMEs to submit bids by means of the formation of European economic interest groups under the relevant national or Community legislation?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (18 November 1996)

The Commission remains aware of the difficulties faced by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in gaining effective access to public procurement contracts; those difficulties were discussed by participants in the seminar held on 14 and 15 January 1994 and referred to by the Honourable Member. Action has already been taken at Community level to tackle those problems, particularly in connection with the supply of information, technical support and partner search services through the networks sponsored by the Commission.

The Commission would also point to the progress made in the specific fields in which the Honourable Member has expressed particular interest and which could help improve participation by SMEs in public procurement.

With a view to exploiting the technological potential for improving transparency and expediting matters, the Commission has launched pilot projects under the SIMAP programme (Information System for Public Procurement) which could possibly be developed into a truly operational system for the electronic notification and dissemination of information.

With regard to the attestation procedures specifically provided for in Council Directive 92/13/EEC of 25 February 1992 coordinating the laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to the application of Community rules on the procurement procedures of entities operating in the water, energy, transport and telecommunications sectors, ((OJ L 76, 23.3.1992. )) a European standard was approved in June 1995 in accordance with the mandate given by the Commission to the standardization bodies, viz. the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) and the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC). Member States now have to take the necessary steps to establish attestation systems.

With regard to promoting the European Economic Interest Grouping (EEIG) as a vehicle for cooperation between SMEs, the Commission has examined in detail the question of its suitability for participation in cross-border public procurement. This question was one of the issues discussed at the 'Regie' conference organized by the Commission on 25 and 26 March 1996, which was attended by a large number of people involved with EEIGs. As announced in the integrated programme for SMEs and the craft sector, ((COM(96) 329. )) the Commission intends to incorporate the conclusions drawn from that conference in a communication it is currently preparing.

On a more general note, the Commission takes the view that effective access by SMEs to public contracts could be achieved through a set of measures based on a thorough analysis of these firms' practical needs and opportunities. That analysis should be furthered by the results of the consultation exercise currently being launched on the basis of a Green Paper on public procurement in the Community.