Fifth annual conference on innovative public procurement

Conference topic and background

Innovation is needed if the EU is to meet its targets for competitiveness and growth. Public procurement of innovation offers untapped potential. Equally as important is the possibility to reform public procurement processes and make them leaner, simpler and more user-friendly.

Implementation of the new public procurement directives provides the opportunity to rethink the way public procurement is organised in EU countries to make it more efficient and effective, and provide better value for money.

The new legislative framework allows more flexible ways of using public demand to bring products to the market. It also offers the possibility to use public procurement strategically to pursue other important policy objectives, whether environmental, social, or those related to promoting innovation in the European economy.

It also pushes for innovative procedures and tools. For example, joint public procurement or the use of the European Single Procurement Document. This means lower costs for both public buyers and suppliers, and new opportunities for European enterprises through easier access to public procurement procedures at national and EU level.

This conference is organised by the European Commission.

Date and time

Wednesday, 26 October 2016.

Registration will start at 8.00. The conference programme will run from 9.00 to 17.00.

Programme outline

• Opening speeches - European Commission.
• Session I: Public procurement of innovation – friend or foe?.
• Session II: Potential of innovative procurement.
• Session III: Simplifying the procurement process – implementing the 'once only' principle.
• Session IV: Applying e-procurement.

Registration

If you would like to attend the conference, please complete the online registration form.

The deadline for initial expressions of interest in attending is 25 September 2016. The conference organisers aim to confirm registration of selected participants by 30 September 2016.

You will receive an automatically-generated acknowledgement immediately after filling in the online registration form. At a later date, those selected will receive an email confirmation.

Please note that completing the online registration form does not guarantee a place at the conference. Each registration must be confirmed by the organisers. To ensure balanced participation from all EU countries and sectors, invitations to the conference will be issued at the organisers' discretion.

Practical information

Simultaneous interpretation will be provided from and into English and German.

Participation is free of charge. Participants must pay their own travel and accommodation expenses however. These expenses will not be reimbursed by the organisers.

Overview of all

practical information

For questions about the conference, email: GROW-EPROC-CONF@ec.europa.eu

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