OPINION on public procurement

European Parliament 2024-2029 Committee on International Trade 15.5.2025 OPINION of the Committee on International Trade 2024/2103(INI) for the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection on public procurement (2024/2103(INI)) Rapporteur for opinion: Daniel Caspary EN United in diversity EN PA_NonLeg EXPLANATORY STATEMENT Public procurement represents a key strategic tool to support the EU’s economic competitiveness and reinforce its role in global trade. In an increasingly challenging geopolitical and economic environment, ensuring fair and reciprocal access to procurement markets is vital to strengthen the EU’s resilience and reduce vulnerabilities. Despite the EU’s efforts, notably through the adoption of the International Procurement Instrument, European companies still face substantial barriers in third-country markets. This opinion underscores the importance of enforcing existing tools and calls for a more ambitious approach to international negotiations. In particular, bilateral trade agreements must include comprehensive public procurement chapters, and efforts should be intensified at the WTO level to extend the reach of the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA), especially to major global players. The EU’s internal procurement rules must also evolve. The opinion calls for maintaining technology neutrality, especially in green procurement, and preserve environmental, social and labour requirements, in accordance with EU law, to...