Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-01-28-Speech-3-110"
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"en.20040128.9.3-110"2
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"C
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Mr President, we are today on the verge of adopting the most comprehensive reform of EU public procurement law since the set up of the internal market. It simplifies and modernises our legislation and gives to the public sector and to industry the means to cut costs and enhance competitiveness. The importance of this piece of legislation for reaching the objectives of the Lisbon strategy is remarkable. Indeed, public procurement is an important part of the internal market, not only because of its volume – for 2002 public procurement amounted to approximately EUR 1500 billion: more than 16% of GDP or, in other words, more than half of the German GDP – but also because of the great potential for further savings for European citizens and taxpayers.
A recent draft report on the functioning of public procurement markets in the EU shows that the procurement directives have contributed to increased transparency in public procurement markets. The new evidence, based on a sample of firms and public authorities, suggests that increased transparency has effectively resulted in more cross-border competition, price convergence and lower prices for goods and services purchased by public authorities. Most importantly, this evidence shows that economic reforms work and pay off. So much so, that the report strongly suggests that further savings are possible in this area. Case studies show that savings of the order of 12% could have been made over the period 1998–2002. The potential importance of this is quite remarkable: if savings of 10% could be made, then 5 countries would turn their budget deficits into surpluses and no eurozone Member State would run a public sector deficit that would break the Stability and Growth Pact's 3% limit! This is quite remarkable.
Of course, the report recognises that problems, such as transaction costs, remain. To address such problems, the legislative package in front of you will help with e-procurement, offering new possibilities for cost reductions. If promptly adopted and effectively implemented by Member States, these measures will contribute to further improve the performance of our public procurement markets. However important the economic aspects of public procurement may be, they should not be our exclusive focus – other major policies in the social and environmental fields also need to be considered.
In this context I would like to compliment the Conciliation Committee – and Mrs Cederschiöld – for their excellent work in reaching a well-balanced compromise which fully consolidates and safeguards the advances made by the current jurisprudence as regards the possibilities of using environmental and social award criteria. Furthermore, as Mrs Cederschiöld said, I would like to emphasise the convergence between this solution and the latest Court of Justice ruling of 4 December 2003 – two days after the Conciliation Committee meeting – which confirmed the four conditions agreed upon in conciliation that are to be fulfilled by award criteria in order to be valid. Provided these conditions are met, production methods could be used as award criteria without being mentioned explicitly. Award criteria such as those dealt with in the recent judgment of 4 December will continue to be possible and will, furthermore, be based on clearer legal texts.
This confirms one of the merits of this legislative package, namely that the general clarification and simplification of the legislation will lead to more legal certainty.
Finally I would like to address the situation of certain professions with key roles to play in ensuring high quality when procuring. In this respect, the legislative package will – thanks to the extensive work of the rapporteur – recognise this role and take the particular, qualitative aspects of such services into better account.
For all these reasons, I appeal to the Members of this House to support the results of this conciliation process and finally to adopt this important piece of legislation. Once again, I should like to thank all Members who have contributed to the excellent outcome of the various debates held on this important matter."@en1
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