BEDA Statement on EU Initiative to Revise Public Procurement Rules
26/01/26BEDA has submitted a statement welcoming the European Commission’s initiative to revise the EU’s public procurement rules, emphasising the need for a system that better supports quality, innovation and long‑term value. Despite the intention of awarding contracts based on the “most economically advantageous tender,” procurement in practice often defaults to lowest‑price decisions. This limits opportunities for design-led, knowledge-intensive work and restricts the flexibility required for co‑creation, iterative development and other innovation-focused approaches.
The statement reflects valuable insight and collaboration with Deutscher Designtag, whose expertise contributed to shaping BEDA’s position.
The statement highlights the economic and strategic importance of design within Europe’s Cultural and Creative Sectors, and calls for public procurement frameworks that recognise usability, accessibility, aesthetics and design quality as essential criteria. BEDA also stresses the need for clear and coherent rules across the Single Market, strong intellectual property protection, and simplified procedures that enable fair competition—especially for SMEs and micro‑SMEs.
To support better outcomes for public projects, BEDA recommends enhanced guidance for contracting authorities, strengthened cooperation with national design organisations, and the integration of design expertise throughout procurement processes. The full statement outlines these recommendations in detail and provides a roadmap for how procurement can become a more effective tool for Europe’s competitiveness, sustainability and innovation.