Procurement in EU Land

Add comment November 27th, 2006 Sean Delaney - Iasta UK

A recent article in Supply Management “EU Fires trade threat” brought me back to some earlier entries I made on this subject. It is really interesting as it states that almost all the EU’s major trading partners operate restrictive procurement practices that “discriminate against EU suppliers”. Well I must say this is definitely a case of the kettle calling the pot black!

There is a plethora of evidence to suggest that members are definitely not operating open practices when it comes to awarding public contracts even within the EU let alone on a world wide basis .

An example, on the very same page (Page 8 Supply Management 19th October) shows how the UK Government where investigated over breaches in the tender for an architect to design the £431m Scottish Parliament. There were possible breaches of EC rules covering equal treatment and transparent of procurement.

EC subsequently dropped the case after they were satisfied that the Scottish Executive “would prevent a re-occurrence of the mistake” …….so I am now confused……are they are going to build another parliament? I think not especially since the building was finished 3 years late and the costs over ran by 10 fold!

This was a major procurement project so if procedures were incorrect what about all the other hundreds of contracts within Scotland? What about the EC lack of teeth? Clearly if the EU is serious about open procurement then situations like this should be dealt with openly and severely as it is a misappropriation of public money.

Here lies the key to the problem. How can the EU enforce open procurement procedures when a body governing the practice does not act decisively on such a public scale? How can the EU then accuse trading partners of operating restrictive procurement practices when clearly their own house is not in order?

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