The CoR Commission for Economic Policy launched an analytical review process linked with a political debate on the implementation of the public procurement Directives from a regional and local perspective. This study report examines how the 2014 Directives on public procurement are being implemented by the relevant authorities at regional and local level and weather and how these authorities are making full use of the opportunities opened by the new public procurement rules. The report has two aims:

• to identity the key challenges encountered by regional and local authorities in implementing the new provisions of the Directives, notably with regard to the access of SMEs to public procurement procedures and the innovative/strategic procurement, and the most frequent sources of wrong application or of legal uncertainty, including in the context of the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF); 
• draw conclusions regarding the extent to which the new standards have simplified or complicated regulation in this area, facilitated access to call for tender by SMEs, cut red tape and increased take up of strategic and innovative procurement.

The study is based on desk/literature research, questionnaire and interviews with selected contracting authorities at regional and local level and consultation with stakeholders, in particular representatives of public authorities and stakeholders from six case studies. 

The report of the study is available here.