# EU public procurement policy reform > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/eu-public-procurement-policy-reform > Updated: 2026-09-09T12:08:22.000Z. Sources: 30. Developments: 3. The European Commission has formally proposed the Public Procurement Act, a major reform designed to restructure the management of the EU’s annual public procurement budget, which is approximately 2.6 trillion euros and represents 15% of the Union’s GDP. Building on previous efforts to streamline processes, the proposal seeks to replace three existing directives with a single, directly applicable regulation. This change aims to reduce administrative burdens by decreasing the number of available procedures from five to three. The Commission estimates these simplifications could generate annual savings of approximately €649 million for public authorities and economic operators. A primary political objective of the Act is to strengthen European economic sovereignty and competitiveness, specifically in response to competition from China. While the rules do not mandate the purchase of European goods, they provide a ‘toolbox’ for authorities to favor EU companies. This includes prioritizing quality—which must account for at least 30% of the evaluation score, or 50% in labor-intensive contracts—and considering factors such as environmental sustainability, cybersecurity, and supply chain security. The reform also introduces clearer legal bases for green procurement, emphasizing the circular economy and energy efficiency. Furthermore, the reform intends to create a single digital market for public procurement through the implementation of a ‘once-only’ data principle. A central component of this is the creation of a pan-European ‘Digital Marketplace’ that would connect national and local electronic procurement platforms. This marketplace is expected to boost competition, increase the number of bids, and enable automated eligibility checks. The Commission projects the digital marketplace alone could save public buyers €220 million annually, with the overall revision benefiting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and providing a net annual saving of approximately €650 million. ## Claims - Public procurement in the EU accounts for approximately 2.5 trillion euros annually, or about 15% of the EU's GDP. (disputed by 7 sources) - The European Commission has proposed a reform of the public procurement rules. (corroborated by 10 sources) - The new rules aim to shift the focus from the lowest price to a best price-quality ratio, including social and environmental criteria. (corroborated by 7 sources) - The Public Procurement Act will replace three existing directives with a single regulation. (corroborated by 5 sources) - Under the new rules, quality must represent at least 30 percent of the award criteria. (corroborated by 4 sources) - Authorities may reject bids from countries that do not respect international rules or provide reciprocal access to EU markets. (corroborated by 4 sources) - The reform is estimated to generate net annual savings of approximately 650 million euros. (corroborated by 4 sources) - Stéphane Séjourné stated that public funds should serve collective interests and create jobs and investments within Europe. (corroborated by 4 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-09-09: European Commission proposes Public Procurement Act to reform EU spending The European Commission has proposed the Public Procurement Act to shift EU spending from lowest-price models to quality-based criteria, aiming to boost European industry and strategic autonomy. 18 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/european-commission-proposes-simplified-public-procurement-rules ### 2026-09-07: European Commission proposes Public Procurement Act to reform EU spending rules The European Commission has proposed the Public Procurement Act to replace three directives with one regulation, aiming to simplify rules, save 649 million euros annually, and favor European industry. 12 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/european-commission-proposes-new-procurement-rules-to-boost-eu-industry ### 2026-08-19: EU citizens favor national products in public procurement A survey shows EU citizens largely prefer public procurement rules that favor locally made products over those from other EU states, complicating the Commission's Industrial Accelerator Act. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/eu-citizens-favor-national-products-in-public-procurement --- Cite as: EU public procurement policy reform. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/eu-public-procurement-policy-reform