New report on assessing social impact in public procurement (07/04/2025)

Discover how public procurement can drive social change in our latest report. It introduces a practical framework for assessing social impact and features insights from 75 EU-wide procedures.

High response to public consultation on public procurement Directives and next steps (07/04/2025)

The call for evidence and open public consultation on the evaluation of key public procurement Directives has concluded, attracting a high response from stakeholders across various sectors and countries. The Commission is now analysing the feedback, which will help shape the next steps in the legislative review.

Ensuring a stable supply of medicines in the EU (07/04/2025)

The EU is tackling medicine shortages with the proposed Critical Medicines Act. This initiative aims to boost pharmaceutical production, strengthen supply chains, and ensure timely access to essential medicines. Learn how it will improve healthcare resilience across Europe.

Building collaboration in public procurement of innovation (PPI) (07/04/2025)

Collaboration is key to successful PPI. Insight No 8 offers practical recommendations to boost participation and strengthen partnerships for better outcomes.

How Brussels is leading greener IT procurement (07/04/2025)

Paradigm Brussels, part of the Big Buyers Working Together community, has transformed IT procurement by reducing transport emissions and prioritising energy-efficient, durable devices. Sustainability now accounts for 10 % of procurement scores, with new guidelines helping smaller administrations adopt greener practices.

Innovation Procurement Hubs mapping survey launched (07/04/2025)

The Innovation Procurement Hubs programme has launched its mapping survey, and we invite you to complete it. Join our live webinar on 14 April to learn about the survey, how it relates to your work, and how your input can help shape the future of innovation procurement across the European Economic Area (EEA).

New podcast episode – Levelling the playing field: navigating the EU’s foreign subsidies Regulation (07/04/2025)

In this episode, we look back on the first year of the Regulation on foreign subsidies and its implementation by the European Commission. We highlight key challenges and examine its impact on businesses and procurement. Tune in for valuable insights!

New podcast episode – Supporting public buyers in procuring AI-enabled solutions that are trustworthy, fair and secure (07/04/2025)

The AI Act is now a reality, bringing new obligations for public administrations. This podcast episode explores how the updated EU model AI clauses can help public buyers procure trustworthy, fair and secure AI-enabled solutions. Don’t miss out – listen now!

PPE+ Europe 2024 training programme concludes (07/04/2025)

The PPE+ Europe 2024 training programme ended with engaging sessions and a graduation ceremony in Brussels. Participants explored key procurement topics, and applications for the 2025 programme will open soon, offering new opportunities for public procurement professionals.

CO₂ Performance Ladder Europe community of practice launched (07/04/2025)

The European Commission and SKAO have launched the CO₂ Performance Ladder Europe community of practice to support public procurement authorities in integrating CO₂ reduction strategies and advancing sustainable procurement.

Apply now for PPE+ Europe 2025 training programme (07/04/2025)

Applications for PPE+ Europe 2025 are open until 30 May 2025! The training programme, designed for centralised procurement organisations, offers a mix of on-site and online sessions to enhance strategic procurement skills – find out more!

Register for the 3rd edition of the Innovation Procurement Training Programme (07/04/2025)

Join the Procure Innovation EU Training Programme in Vienna from 16–20 June 2025. This five-day, in-person course equips public authorities with the skills to manage innovation procurement projects. Register by
24 April – spots are limited!

Missed our webinar on Innovation Procurement Hubs? (07/04/2025)

On 18 March, we hosted an introductory webinar on the Innovation Procurement Hubs, exploring their role in driving innovation through public procurement and introducing the new community of practice. Catch up on key insights by watching the recording and accessing the presentation!

Don't miss the Procure Innovation EU workshop (07/04/2025)

Join decision-makers from contracting authorities across the EEA for an insightful session on advancing innovation in procurement. Explore strategies, best practices and real-world solutions from industry experts, and discover funding opportunities to support your procurement objectives.

Public consultation in 2025 on Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) guidelines (10/03/2025)

The European Commission will publish FSR guidelines in January 2026 to clarify rules on foreign subsidies. To prepare, it launched a call for evidence on ‘Have Your Say’ on 5 March 2025, open for 4 weeks. A targeted stakeholder consultation will run in parallel.

Updated AI procurement clauses available (10/03/2025)

The European Commission has updated EU AI model contractual clauses produced by the community to align with the EU AI Act. The new version includes a full high-risk AI version, a customisable light version and a detailed commentary. Public authorities procuring AI solutions are encouraged to explore the updates and share their feedback.

Competitiveness Compass, Clean Industrial Deal and the future of EU public procurement (10/03/2025)

The Competitiveness Compass and the Clean Industrial Deal announce the objectives and measures that will guide the revision of the public procurement framework, including sustainability, resilience and European preference criteria in EU public procurement for strategic sectors. The Commission will make a proposal to revise the public procurement framework in Q4 2026.

Innovation Procurement Hubs programme kicks off (10/03/2025)

The Innovation Procurement Hubs programme launches on 18 March 2025, aimed at supporting public authorities in securing innovative solutions.

This initiative will empower public buyers across the European Economic Area to drive technological advancements and shape Europe's future.

Choosing the right procurement procedure for innovation (10/03/2025)

Discover how public buyers can strategically choose the best procurement procedure to foster innovation. Explore Insight No 7 for a breakdown of the EU legal framework.

Procurement Dialogues closing event video (10/03/2025)

Relive the highlights of the final conference and explore key insights from 18 months of strategic public procurement dialogues across Europe. Watch the event video!

Innovation Procurement Hubs webinar subscription (10/03/2025)

Join us on 18 March 2025 from 10:00 to 11:30 CET for a webinar exploring the Innovation Procurement Hubs programme. The online event will cover the challenges of innovation procurement, showcase real-world case studies and provide insights on how the programme can support public authorities across the European Economic Area.

Big Buyers Working Together (BBWT) annual event exploring sustainable procurement in Helsinki (10/03/2025)

The BBWT annual event in Helsinki (24 to 25 March 2025) will showcase sustainable public procurement through discussions and site visits, including the Kindergarten Soittaja and Olympic stadium. Register by 14 March to join and explore the future of strategic procurement!

Simplifying green public procurement with the EU Ecolabel (13/02/2025)

Public buyers and businesses looking to meet sustainability goals can now simplify procurement with the EU Ecolabel!

With nearly 100,000 certified goods and services across 25 product categories, the EU Ecolabel helps public authorities, procurement professionals, and businesses source environmentally friendly products that comply with scientifically backed criteria.

The newly launched Green Procurement web page provides practical tips, the most relevant ready-to-use criteria, and guidance on incorporating the EU Ecolabel into procurement processes. 

Discover resources, success stories, and detailed practical guides to make procurement greener and more efficient.

Help shape the future of innovation procurement (04/02/2025)

DG R&I and the European Investment Bank are exploring new ways to help public procurers de-risk innovation procurement through a dedicated financial product under the InvestEU programme. Share your views in the survey!

Advancing socially responsible public procurement in Europe (04/02/2025)

Discover how the Big Buyers Working Together project promotes sustainable, socially responsible public procurement across Europe. Sandra Simões of the Institute of Public Markets, Real Estate and Construction shares insights on collaboration and innovation for a resilient EU single market.

Take our quick satisfaction survey (04/02/2025)

We value your feedback! Take just 5–10 minutes to share your thoughts and help us enhance the Public Buyers Community Platform to better serve your needs.

Innovation in electric trucks: insights from Steyr Automotive (04/02/2025)

The Big Buyers Working Together community of practice on Heavy-Duty Electric Vehicles visited Steyr Automotive where Volta is developing electric trucks with advanced safety features, ergonomic cabins and sustainable battery systems.

Have your say on public procurement rules (04/02/2025)

The European Commission is reviewing public procurement Directives to ensure they meet current requirements and address challenges. Contribute your views and evidence on how the public procurement Directives have performed to boost competition, support SMEs and advance a greener, more innovative EU economy by 7 March.

Boosting AI innovation in Europe (04/02/2025)

The Commission's new AI innovation package supports start-ups and SMEs in developing trustworthy AI, with measures such as supercomputing access to foster ethical AI in Europe.

Building Information Modelling and Public Procurement community’s latest news (04/02/2025)

The Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Public Procurement community of practice (CoP) is gathering insights through an open survey and workshop to shape practical solutions for BIM integration in public procurement. Explore the CoP's latest updates.

Closing the strategic procurement dialogues (04/02/2025)

The final conference of the Strategic Procurement Dialogues project brought stakeholders together in Brussels to share insights and roadmaps on green, social, and innovation procurement.

Harnessing innovation through public procurement (04/02/2025)

Public procurement of innovation has the potential to transform public services and drive progress. However, it also presents unique challenges.

Discover its benefits, risks, and strategies for success in our latest Insight.

Advancing public procurement with innovation partnerships (08/01/2025)

When existing solutions fall short, public procurement of innovation (PPI) enables public buyers to develop tailored products, services or processes. In Saxony, Germany, the police successfully used an innovation partnership to create speech recognition software to meet new legal requirements.

➣ Discover the full success story! 

Call for evidence and public consultation on EU Public Procurement Directives (13/12/2024)

Today, the Commission has published a call for evidence and a public consultation on the Public Procurement Directives.

The Commission invites interested parties to express their views on whether the directives have effectively achieved their objectives, among them fostering a high level of competition in the single market, increasing SMEs’ participation in procurement procedures, ensuring transparency and promoting a greener, more social and innovative EU economy. The contributions will feed into the Commission’s evaluation of the Public Procurement Directives.

The Commission invites all interested parties to submit their feedback and share their views. The call for evidence and public consultation will be open until 7 March.

The public consultation is currently available in English, all other languages will become available by the end of this week.

Share your insights and help shape the future of EU public procurement!

Final strategic public procurement workshop held in Bulgaria (09/12/2024)

The final workshop on strategic public procurement took place on 28 November 2024 in Sofia, Bulgaria, hosted by the Public Procurement Agency. Bringing together around 50 stakeholders, the workshop focused on overcoming barriers and developing a roadmap to advance green, social, and innovative procurement in Bulgaria.

Riga engages citizens in New European Bauhaus (NEB) inspired renovations (10/12/2024)

The city of Riga is involving residents in sustainable renovations using New European Bauhaus principles, with a focus on inclusivity and circularity. The NEB community of practice will organise more similar study visits in the future. To receive more information about its work or to join it, send an email to big.buyers@eurocities.eu.

Public Buyers Community exceeds 2,000 members! (09/12/2024)

We are pleased to announce that our Public Buyers Community has now grown to over 2,000 members—a significant milestone made possible by your support. Not a member yet? Join us today to explore the platform’s benefits and connect with peers in public procurement.

Big Buyers annual event heads to Helsinki in March 2025 (24/03/2025)

The Big Buyers annual event will be held on 24–25 March 2025 in Helsinki, uniting its 10 communities of practice and other stakeholders. It will explore sustainable, social, and innovative public procurement through collaboration and inspiring examples from Helsinki. Register now to join!

Building AI competences for value creation (10/12/2024)

Unlock the potential of AI for value creation. A new Joint Research Centre report examines the competences and governance practices needed for the adoption of AI in the public sector.

Innovation Partnership Cluster Talk recording now available (10/12/2024)

Catch the latest EU Clusters Talk webinar, highlighting how the use of the public procurement procedure innovation partnership is driving innovation and tackling societal challenges. Watch the full recording now!

Advancing strategic public procurement in Spain (09/12/2024)

On 29 October, a workshop was held in Madrid, Spain, organised by the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge. Stakeholders discussed challenges and solutions, marking progress in sustainable public purchasing.

How can market consultations boost sustainable public procurement? (10/12/2024)

Join the EU GPP Helpdesk webinar on 12 December 2024 to explore how preliminary market consultations can enhance sustainable public procurement. Gain practical tips, real-life examples, and insights from experts across Europe. Don’t miss it!

Share your feedback with us (10/12/2024)

We want to hear from you! Your feedback is key to improving the Public Buyers Community and tailoring it to your needs. Take our quick 5–10 minute survey to share your insights and help shape its future.

Public Procurement Excellence (PPE)+ Europe 2024 strategic procurement training kicks off (09/12/2024)

The PPE+ Europe 2024 programme launched its first strategic procurement training on 4 November in Vienna, uniting procurement professionals from across Europe. The event fostered collaboration as participants discussed procurement challenges and explored tools such as the ProcurComp EU self-assessment.

AI adoption: Drivers and challenges (10/12/2024)

Discover what drives and challenges AI adoption in the public sector. A new Joint Research Centre report shares insights from 576 public managers across seven EU countries.

Key Austrian experts support socially responsible public procurement (SRPP) training (10/12/2024)

On 5 December, Austrian experts Dr Maria Anastasiadis and Dr Stefan Matthias Ullreich led a WeBuySocialEU training in Graz, offering public buyers and social economy actors practical insights and strategies for SRPP.

Insights for effective Public Procurement of Innovation (PPI) (10/12/2024)

Explore key recommendations for effective PPI, a strategic approach that helps public buyers acquire innovative technologies and services. Learn more about identifying unmet needs, fostering market engagement, and ensuring fair competition in the full insight.

Commission launches the evaluation of Public Procurement Directives (04/11/2024)

The European Commission is announcing the evaluation of the Public Procurement Directives to improve competition, streamline processes and achieve strategic goals. Stakeholders can contribute to the evaluation through an upcoming call for evidence and public consultation.

Contribute to our new sustainable solar guide and template (05/11/2024)

The Big Buyers Working Together (BBWT) project has made the ‘How to prepare and start a PV project’ guide and the ‘PV procurement criteria’ template, each available in 25 EU languages.

The impact of AI on European public services (05/11/2024)

Discover how AI can revolutionise public services across the EU in a new European Commission study. The report highlights AI’s potential to improve efficiency and citizen interactions in areas such as healthcare and education, while addressing key challenges.

Watch the European green public procurement (EU GPP) helpdesk webinar (05/11/2024)

The webinar ‘Making an impact: Monitoring the outcomes of public procurement’ explored tools and methods for assessing procurement benefits such as cost savings, pollution reduction and social impact. The presentations and recording are available on the Public Buyers Community.

Workshop on Germany’s procurement transformation (04/11/2024)

On 12 September 2024, a workshop in Berlin, hosted by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, focused on Germany’s procurement transformation package. Participants discussed aligning public procurement with environmental, social, and innovation goals, with follow-up steps planned for January 2025.

Join us for the TED-together event (05/11/2024)

Register now for the TED-together event on 3 and 4 December 2024, hosted by the Publications Office of the European Union. This hybrid event in Luxembourg and online will focus on upcoming changes to improve the use and quality of public procurement data for TED stakeholders.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) webinar recording released (05/11/2024)

The webinar ‘Fostering BIM Integration in Public Procurement: Vision, Challenges, and Next Steps’ examined the integration of BIM into procurement, with expert insights and a panel discussion on community needs. It is now available for viewing.

Strategic public procurement workshop in Ireland (04/11/2024)

On 25 September 2024, the Office of Government Procurement and ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability organised a workshop in Ireland to improve public procurement strategies. The national public procurement strategy in preparation for Ireland's 2026 EU Council Presidency was reviewed, identifying challenges and discussing solutions.

Steer sustainable information and communication technology (ICT) in Europe (05/11/2024)

Join our Digital community of practice to drive sustainable ICT procurement in Europe. Connect with EU public buyers to explore eco-friendly practices and shape a greener, digital future.

Advancing zero-emission bus procurement (05/11/2024)

The Zero-Emission Bus Systems and Services community of practice (CoP), within the Big Buyers Working Together (BBWT) project, aims to drive forward the procurement of sustainable bus systems. Join the online kick-off meeting on 20 November to explore the CoP’s roadmap and learn how to get involved.

Advancing strategic procurement in Swedish municipalities (04/11/2024)

On 16 October 2024, the National Agency for Public Procurement and the Ministry for Public Administration hosted a workshop in Stockholm focused on enhancing strategic procurement in municipalities. Participants shared best practices and engaged in discussions on spend analysis, decision-maker engagement, and integrating strategic objectives.

GovTech Connect Assembly 2024 (28/11/2024)

Join the GovTech Connect Assembly 2024 on 28 November in Brussels to explore innovative solutions to public sector challenges. Connect with policymakers, entrepreneurs, and experts.

BRINC final event: Innovation procurement insights (04/10/2024)

Join the Brokering Cross-Border Innovation through Clusters (BRINC) final event on 15 October 2024 to explore the benefits and lessons learnt from brokering the purchase of innovation. Learn from public buyers involved in innovation procurement, gain insights from the sister project P5 INNOBROKER, and discover tools and resources for public authorities.

PPDS Day 2024 event highlights (04/10/2024)

Public Procurement Data Space (PPDS) Day 2024, organised by DG GROW on 24 September in Brussels, brought together public buyers, policymakers, and service providers to discuss the Public Procurement Data Space. The event featured keynotes, live demos, and sessions on procurement data quality, with plans for future developments to follow.

Fostering BIM Integration in Public Procurement: Vision, Challenges, and Next Steps (04/10/2024)

The Building Information Modelling (BIM) survey has officially closed, and we're pleased with the strong participation of 50 respondents. The results will be discussed in our upcoming webinar, ‘Fostering BIM Integration in Public Procurement: Vision, Challenges, and Next Steps’ on 22 October.

Discover emerging technologies (04/10/2024)

Explore the ‘Methodology for the public sector tech watch use case collection’ report to see how emerging technologies are monitored and analysed in the public sector.

The Hungarian Conference on Public Procurement (21/10/2024)

The International Conference on Public Procurement, part of the Hungarian Presidency, will take place on 21 October in Budapest, covering topics such as green public procurement, increasing competition, and insights from the Western Balkan candidate countries.

PPI roadmap insights (04/10/2024)

Gain valuable insights into the Public Procurement of Innovation (PPI) roadmap, covering essential steps from preparatory tasks and procedure design, through to execution and outcome deployment.

EU GPP webinar: Promoting decent work (04/10/2024)

Watch the EU Green Public Procurement (GPP) Helpdesk webinar recording on promoting decent work and fighting social dumping through public procurement. Learn from EU experts about best practices and key insights.

The Enterprise Europe Network Annual Conference 2024 (06/11/2024)

The Enterprise Europe Network Annual Conference 2024 will focus on enhancing the potential of European SMEs. A key session, ‘Boosting the potential of European SMEs’ will explore how SMEs can engage in innovation public procurement (IPP) and strategic procurement, while offering solutions to support their growth.

Deadline approaching! Apply now to join the renewed Stakeholders Expert Group (18/09/2024)

Calling all procurement professionals! The European Commission is renewing the membership of its Stakeholder Expert Group on Public Procurement, and the deadline to apply is fast approaching – 25 September 2024.

The Group will play a key role in contributing to the work leading to the revision of the Public Procurement Directives.

We therefore welcome procurement experts from the public and private sector, civil society, and academia to apply to the selection process for this renewed Expert Group.

By joining this Expert Group, you'll provide the Commission with vital legal, economic, technical, and practical expertise, helping to shape the future of public procurement policy in the EU.

Apply before the deadline here!