INTERNAL MARKET, INDUSTRY, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SMES - Consultation on the access of third countries to the EU’s public procurement market

Policy field

Internal Market - Trade

Target group

All citizens and organisations concerned by public procurement are welcome to contribute to this consultation. Contributions are particularly sought from business that sell to public authorities and utilities, trade associations representing businesses, contracting authorities (including utilities) or associations representing contracting authorities, Government institution/regulatory authority, trade unions and NGOs.

Period of consultation

From 08/06/2011 to 02/08/2011

Objective of the consultation

Through international commitments (WTO Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) and bilateral/regional FTAs), the EU advocates an ambitious opening of international public procurement markets and has committed itself to granting market access to its public procurement market for certain foreign goods, services and companies. In contrast to the EU’s policy favouring greater openness, many third countries are reluctant to (further) open their procurement markets to international competition, which limits business opportunities for EU companies in these markets. Similarly, some trading partners have maintained or introduced protectionist measures hitting EU companies.

In this context, the Commission is currently carrying out an impact assessment analysing how to set proportionate, coherent and effective terms of access to the EU public procurement markets for foreign goods, services and companies.

The replies to this consultation will feed the impact assessment with data, information and views of stakeholders on the current situation on the public procurement market of the EU and of third countries and on the (possible) effects of EU legislation in this field.

How to submit your contribution*

We welcome contributions from citizens, organisations and public authorities.

If you are answering this consultation as a citizen, an NGO, a trade union or a think tank, please click here to submit (link no longer valid) your contribution.
If you are answering this consultation on behalf of a business or trade association of businesses, please click here to submit (link no longer valid) your contribution.
If you are answering this consultation on behalf of a contracting authorities, an association of contracting authorities, a government institution or a regulatory authority, please click here to submit (link no longer valid) your contribution.

Received contributions will be published on the Internet. It is important to read the specific privacy statement attached to this consultation for information on how your personal data and contribution will be dealt with.

* This questionnaire is a working document of the Commission services for consultations and does not prejudge the final form of any future decision to be taken by the Commission.

Reference documents

Contact details

Responsible services:	DG Internal Market and Services – Unit C1 "International Dimension of Public Procurement" DG Trade - Unit DGA2.E.2 "Public Procurement and Intellectual Property"
E-mail:	markt-trade-procurement-initiative@ec.europa.eu
Postal address:	European Commission, SPA2 05/081, 1049 Brussels, Belgium European Commission, CHAR 06/187, 1049 Brussels, Belgium

Number of responses received to this consultation

176

View the contributions

In the interests of transparency, organisations have been invited to provide the public with relevant information about themselves by registering in the Interest Representative Register and subscribing to its Code of Conduct. If the organisation is not registered, the submission is published separately from the registered organisations.

Contributions authorised for publication

Results of consultation and next steps

Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the access of third-country goods and services to the Union’s internal market in public procurement and procedures supporting negotiations on access of Union goods and services to the public procurement markets of third countries – COM(2012) 124 final

Protection of personal data

Specific privacy statement pdf (19 kB)