How to boost the participation of Social Economy Entities (SEE) in public procurement

On 6 November 2025, from 10:00 to 11:30am CET, a webinar will take place to explore how public procurement can promote the social economy. This event will be held in the framework of the EU GPP Helpdesk.

Through their purchasing power, contracting authorities have the possibility to promote sustainable development by engaging Social Economy Entities (SEE) with public procurement. Indeed, procuring from SEE allows public buyers to work with providers focused on achieving social impact as part of their mission. By purchasing from SEE, contracting authorities can also generate employment opportunities for vulnerable groups, thus improving social cohesion and promoting inclusive labour market.

With the adoption of the 2014 EU Public Procurement Directives, and its transposition in all the EU Member States, contracting authorities have been empowered to foster the social economy. Indeed, the 2024 EU Public Procurement Directives include new instruments and means that facilitate the participation of SEE in public procurement. For example, public buyers can restrict some tendering procedures for all types of work, services and supplies to sheltered workshops and economic operators whose main aim is the social and professional integration persons with disabilities and other disadvantaged persons (Art 20), as well as award contracts in the form of separate lots to support small-sized bidders’ participation (Art. 46).

This webinar aims to provide contracting authorities with concrete examples on how they can help SEE’s participation in public procurement, thus scaling their social impact and providing them with additional channels to grow.

Agenda:

• Welcome and Introduction Lois Pimentel-Iglesias, European Commission

• Presentation of the most relevant provisions of the EU Public Procurement Directive Roberto Caranta;Professor, Universita' di Torino

• Good practices from the Canary Islands (Spain) Javier Mendoza Jiménez, Profesor, Universidad de La Laguna

• Good practices from France Clementine Cahier and Gabriel Suarez, SRPP Experts, Relais2D

• Good practices from Romania Angela Achitei, President; ADV Romania

• Concluding remarks Alice Sinigaglia, Senior Social Policy Expert, AEIDL

Language: English

Sign up today: https://iclei.webex.com/weblink/register/rf6f8eb431efd7ee022a55a0b9163e104

Framework: The GPP Helpdesk Webinars provide a forum to inform stakeholders working in the field of public sector procurement about important new developments in the resources available and legislative context for Sustainable Public Procurement, and offer an opportunity for questions and discussion. For more information, visit the European Commission’s GPP website.