| Author (Person) | Barker, Alex, Chaffin, Joshua |
|---|---|
| Series Title | Financial Times |
| Series Details | 21.3.12 |
| Publication Date | 21/03/2012 |
| Content Type | News |
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The European Commission adopted on the 21 March 2012 a comprehensive policy to improve the conditions under which EU companies can compete for public procurement contracts outside the European Union. The proposals aimed to clarify the rules of access to the EU's public procurement market for companies, goods and services from outside the EU and to increase the EU's leverage in negotiating access to the procurement markets of other trading partners. The new policy aimed to create a level playing field on the EU's internaI public procurement market by ensuring that EU companies and third country companies will compete for public contracts on an equal footing. The ultimate goal of the initiative was to obtain a generalised opening of international public procurement through negotiated agreements (multilateral or bilateral), leading to more open markets and boosting trade and business opportunities for all. However, the FT also reported on a German paper sent to the European Commission which warned that the proposal risked creating a 'fortress Europe' and said it should be rejected. The intervention reflected acute concerns among liberal EU member states, whose backing would be needed for the proposal to become law. |
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| Subject Categories | Internal Markets, Trade |
| Countries / Regions | Europe |
