10 Amendments of Goffredo Maria BETTINI related to 2017/2278(INI)
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses that public procurement markets are of major economic importance, given that procurement expenditure is estimated to account for 20 % of global GDP, and that improving access to public procurement markets in thirdstresses that, therefore, the planning, performance and management of international public countries can therefore be a major driver for growth in trade of goods and services, and a motor for economic growth and jobs in the EUacts must serve the aims of economic growth and development and help improve the fairness of competition in international trade and reciprocity of market access;
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Points out that public procurement markets in third countries are often de jure and/or de facto closed to EU bidders; recalls that the Commission estimates that more than half of the global procurement market is currently closed to free international competition owing to protectionist measures, which are globally on a rise, while approximately EUR 352 billion in value of EU public procurement is open to bidders from member countries of the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA)1; __________________ 1considers that, in order to ensure reciprocity of market access in the field of international public procurement, the procedures in question must combat social and environmental dumping by means of compliance with social and environmental criteria by economic operators from third countries as a criterion for the award of European public procurement contracts, and the proposal for an International Procurement Instrument must be adopted. In this context, calls on the Council to urgently address the deadlock that is preventing the adoption of the Regulation. __________________ 1 Amended IPI proposal (2016). Amended IPI proposal (2016).
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Points out that public procurement markets in third countries are often de jure and/or de facto closed to EU bidders; recalls that the Commission estimates that more than half of the global procurement market is currently closed to free international competition owing to protectionist measures, which are globally on a rise, while approximately EUR 352 billion in value of EU public procurement is open to bidders from member countries of the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA)1 ; Recalls that the reciprocity principle in public procurement should be respected and implemented by third countries and our trading partners to ensure that European companies get similar market access as our competitors enjoy in the EU market; Points out that a level-playing field could be restored with the approval of the international procurement instrument; Calls on the Council to unlock the current stalemate with regard to this instrument and calls for a rapid adoption; __________________ 1 Amended IPI proposal (2016).
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Stresses that accessibility, high quality and continuity of public services are dependent on the efficiency of contract management; reiterates that public procurement should be used as a tool to achieve policy objectives in accordance with a predetermined economic, industrial and social programme; to this end, considers it necessary to ensure that public administrations responsible for tendering act transparently and extremely competently and to ensure that public money is spent on works, supplies and services that contribute to social development and to sustainable, inclusive and innovative economic growth.
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Stresses that an annex on government procurement should be included in each future trade agreement with a view to maximising the participation of European companies in foreign tenders and promoting the application of social and environmental criteria, including gender equality criteria in awarding public procurement contracts; Regrets in this regard that 55% of procurement procedures still use the lowest price as the only award criterion instead of MEAT (most economically advantageous tenders);
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 c (new)
Paragraph 2 c (new)
2c. Regrets that clear and consolidated procurement data is often not available and therefore citizens cannot access details of procurement procedures;
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Welcomes the fact that one of the six priority areas for the Commission’s action in the field of public procurement is the improvement of access to procurement markets; stresses that improving access to public procurement markets in third countries, including at the sub-national level, constitutes a strong offensive interest for the EU in trade negotiations on public procurement, given that many EU companies are highly competitive in various sectors; recalls that improved market access to third-country publictrade agreements should be used as a lever to improve access to non-EU procurement markets, and that improved market access, enhanced rules for transparent procurement procedures and innovative, green and social procurement, should be key elements for any trade agreement to be concluded by the EU;
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Emphasises that any strategy to open up public procurement markets in third countries should take into account the specific needs of SMEs, as access to third- country public procurement markets can be particularly difficult for them; calls on the Commission to provide practical tools to promote the establishment of consortiums by SMEs, especially of a cross-border nature, to participate in international public procurement procedures; draws attention furthermore to the importance of creating appropriate instruments to enable SMEs to grow and compete at international level; stresses moreover that the division of contracts into lots should be functional in relation to the planning and performance of the contract and should not cause fragmentation of the public procurement market.
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Notes that procurement procedures are often associated with complex rules and unnecessary administrative burden; Urges Member States to boost digital transformation and the use of digital technologies of procurement processes, to simplify and accelerate procurement procedures; Stresses that improving procurement skills at all stages of the procurement process, including e-skills, is of vital importance and together with enhanced transparency and openness, can contribute to fighting collusion and eliminating cases of misconduct;
Amendment 35 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Highlights the importance of the GPA not only for providing de jure access to procurement markets in third countries, but also for enhancing the transparency of procurement procedures; encourages the Commission to promote the development of global and convergent standards for transparent procurement as an important tool for combating corruption; Recalls that enabling the reporting of corruption, simplified procedures and stronger provisions on integrity and transparency for bidders can also be effective tools to combat corruption and foster integrity in public administration; Calls on the Commission to set up effective reporting mechanisms and to strengthen the protection of whistle-blowers against retaliation;