FIEC reacts to the European Commission’s package on public procurement

During the winter, the European Commission presented a package of legislative and non-legislative measures on public procurement. In particular, the European Commission promoted the strategic use of public procurement (incl. innovative and social aspects), as well as greater professionalism of public buyers. 
In a position paper recently sent to the European Commission and the European Parliament, FIEC welcomed the efforts of the European Commission to help the implementation of the 2014 EU public procurement directives, especially when it comes to increasing the professionalism of public buyers. 
However, FIEC also pointed out a number of remaining problems and in particular:
  • the reduced number of bids due to high tender costs and overly complex procedures,
  • the lack of innovation due to risk-aversion from public buyers,
  • the dangers of integrating social criteria as award criteria,
  • the abuse that exists in in-house and public-public cooperation,
  • the challenges of digitalisation,
  • the pros and cons of central purchasing bodies and joint procurement,
  • the need to further promote the most economically advantageous tender (MEAT) and get rid of abnormally low tenders (ALTs),
  • the need to further promote fair contract conditions.
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EU Platform against Undeclared Work : Call for success stories

The “EU Platform against Undeclared Work” is looking for “success stories” from companies/workers’ representatives which changed behaviour on the ground in their industry/sector by preventing and/or combatting undeclared work. Priority is given to social partners’ stories/examples/practice at company/sectorial level or tripartite stories.
 
At its next meeting, presumably in July 2018, a dedicated working group will discuss the stories submitted and propose a selection to the Platform Plenary for validation.
 
Construction companies wishing to present a “success story” can fill in a specific template (click on the “Read more” button below; it can be adapted to take into account specific circumstances and not all boxes necessarily need to be completed) and send it to FIEC (info@fiec.eu) before 1st June. We will then forward to the EU Platform the success stories collected.

 

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Revised EPBD adopted by Council

The revised Energy Performance in Buildings Directive has been adopted by the Council of the European Union and will be published in the Official Journal within the next month. FIEC was reasonably satisfied with the final text, although there are still concerns about the Smartness Indicator, which is aimed at assessing a building’s readiness to use smart technology for e.g. better automated control of heating and cooling output.  FIEC is not convinced that such an indicator will be fully understood by building occupants and is sceptical that such an indicator will result in more smart buildings. Our position can be found by clicking on the link below.

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