BEDA Welcomes EU Initiative to Revise Public Procurement Rules
BEDA – the Bureau of European Design Associations – welcomes the European Commission’s initiative to revise EU public procurement rules (Ares(2025)9425851), recognising the crucial role procurement plays in shaping Europe’s competitiveness, sustainability and innovation capacity. Public procurement accounts for a substantial share of the EU’s GDP, making it one of the most powerful levers to drive high‑quality, future‑oriented solutions across the Single Market.
The statement reflects valuable insight and collaboration with Deutscher Designtag, whose expertise contributed to shaping BEDA’s position.
Why Change Is Needed
Although EU legislation is built on the principle of awarding the ‘most economically advantageous tender’ (MEAT), in practice procurement decisions still too often favour the lowest price. This narrow focus sidelines quality, innovation and long-term value.
BEDA highlights several persistent challenges:
- Procedures remain too rigid, especially for knowledge‑intensive and design‑led services where iterative development and co‑creation are essential.
- Fragmentation across Member States and complex processes hinder fair access for SMEs and the creative sector.
- Design’s specific role and value remain under-recognised, despite its strategic importance for usability, accessibility and sustainability.
- Accessibility and usability of procurement frameworks continue to be burdensome, creating barriers for both public authorities and businesses.
These concerns are echoed in the European Commission’s own evaluation of the 2014 procurement directives, in which nearly half of the respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the current level of flexibility.
The Strategic Value of Design for Europe
Design is a major pillar of the Cultural and Creative Sectors (CCS) and a driver of EU economic resilience. According to the Hartung Report, CCS encompasses 1.9 million companies generating €448 billion in turnover and €183 billion in added value. Design does not merely beautify products—it enhances usability, accessibility, innovation capacity and sustainability.
To align procurement with Europe’s strategic goals, BEDA calls for systematic reinforcement of design quality. Non-price criteria such as usability, accessibility and aesthetics should be consistently integrated into procurement decisions to ensure value for money, long-term performance and citizen‑centred solutions.
BEDA’s Key Recommendations
1. Promote Quality Criteria in Procurement
Public procurement should reward human‑centred, high‑quality design solutions. Regulations must incentivise the use of quality‑based selection and award criteria rather than relying disproportionately on price.
2. Ensure a Level Playing Field for European Design
To strengthen the internal market, procurement and trade frameworks must be transparent, coherent and supportive of fair competition.
BEDA recommends harmonising NACE classifications with the international ISCO‑08 standards to better reflect the design profession and improve market access.
3. Protect Intellectual Property and Copyright
Strong IP protection ensures legal certainty, fosters innovation and supports the competitive position of European design businesses in global markets.
4. Increase Flexibility and Clarity for Innovation‑Friendly Procedures
Procurement rules must better support iterative design, experimentation and co‑development. More flexible procedures—paired with clear guidance—are essential to encourage innovation while maintaining accountability.
BEDA also recommends upskilling awarding bodies in cooperation with national design associations.
5. Integrate Design into Procurement Processes
Design considerations should be embedded as standard practice in procurement – from usability and functionality to sustainability and aesthetics.
Design‑led procurement improves public investment outcomes and advances EU priorities on digitisation, accessibility, and environmental goals.
6. Provide Guidance and Support for Contracting Authorities
Public authorities need practical support to implement quality‑based procurement. BEDA encourages closer collaboration with national design centres and industry associations, especially for design-intensive services such as communication, digital products, software development, games, textiles and more.
A Call for a More Innovative, Competitive and Citizen‑Centred Europe
The revision of EU public procurement rules presents a timely opportunity to modernise the framework and harness the full potential of design as a strategic resource. By placing quality, innovation and long‑term value at the core of procurement decisions, the EU can unlock better public services, stronger industry competitiveness, and more sustainable and inclusive outcomes.
BEDA stands ready to contribute its expertise to ensure that design becomes an integral part of a future‑proof European procurement landscape.
Read the full Statement from BEDA below.
Last updated: 18/05/26