GRTU insist on greater facilitation for small businesses on public procurement

GRTU's Director General and EESC Employers Representative Vincent Farrugia took a prime role in this week's EESC Single Market Production and Consumption (INT) Section – on the new EESC Opinion on Audit and Procurement. Vincent Farrugia was one main speaker emphasising the main points in the Opinion he drafted on eProcurment:

1. Implementation of an inter-European e-procurement framework is a cornerstone for the proper functioning of commerce within the internal market

2. deployment of e-procurement up to local public administration level is to be considered as an important policy instrument as e-procurement:

a.  reduces cost for business and public admini stration;

b. results in a streamlined procurement process,

c. results in greater transparency

d. is a vehicle to the further attainment of an information society.

3. e procurement is a channel that enables public procurement policy to be carried out more efficiently, effectively and economically.

4.   Ensure that while no activity by any individual Member State is affected that further endangers the achievement of the desirable target, action is actually implemented that furthers the implementation process over an agreed time-frame of an approved cohesion approach.

5.   An implementation monitoring mechanism is introduced to review progress, barriers, corrective action et al with regards to the introduction of e procurement within Member States.

6.   Encourage Member States to seek innovative solutions to overcome business procedures and language issues.

7.   It is imperative that the work resulting from the review of the public procurement and the e-procurement frameworks respectively is directed to unleash SMEs and micro-enterprises ability to compete in an e-procurement environment.

8. SMEs are assisted either through direct capacity building initiatives, setting up of e procurement Facilitating Support Centres by national, regional contracting authorities or constituted bodies representing SMEs through national and EU financing – to ensure that SMEs and micro-enterprises embrace and leverage e procurement.