European Commission drafts proposal for a new public procurement regime

The Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Jack Chambers TD, and the Minister of State with responsibility for Public Procurement, Digitalisation and eGovernment, Frank Feighan TD, have welcomed the adoption by the European Commission of a proposal for a new regulation to modernise and simplify the EU's public procurement framework, published 9th September 2026.

The proposal aims to streamline procurement processes across the European Union,

reduce administrative burdens and strengthen the capacity of public procurement to support effective investment in public services, infrastructure and strategic policy objectives.

The regulation is one of the priority files for Ireland to Chair negotiations on, during its Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and is part of the One Europe, One Market Roadmap.

Under the Irish Presidency the Department will promote the competitiveness agenda and supports for small businesses. It will progress three important agendas: strategic, simplification and harmonisation, while balancing practical real-world commercial application of what is an ambitious overhaul by the EU of Public Procurement rules.

The Commission’s proposal comes a month after the Government published Ireland’s first National Public Procurement Strategy Procuring for Our Future. The Strategy shares many of the same ambitions as the proposed, including simplifying procurement processes, increasing efficiency, delivering greater value for money and improving procurement opportunities for SMEs, particularly start-ups, microenterprises and social enterprises.

Key actions under the Strategy that will support a more streamlined and user-focused procurement system include:

• Reviewing and consolidating public procurement circulars to ensure guidance is clear, accessible and user-friendly.
• Developing a procurement eLearning programme to strengthen procurement capability across the public sector.
• Establishing a National Public Procurement Knowledge Hub to promote consistency and best practice.
• Expanding knowledge-sharing opportunities for public buyers and enhancing the functionality of eTenders to improve the user experience for buyers and suppliers.

As part of Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Ireland holds responsibility for progressing public procurement matters at Council level. This role will involve chairing negotiations among Member States on the Commission's proposal and helping to shape the future direction of public procurement across the European Union.

Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Jack Chambers said:

“I welcome the publication of this significant proposal to reform the EU public procurement framework. There is a broad recognition across Europe that procurement processes can be made simpler, more efficient and more accessible for both public buyers and suppliers.

The Commission’s proposal is ambitious in terms of the scale of structural revision of the way procurement works. It is also focused in the manner that procurement will play a more strategic role in the deployment of public expenditure.

I was struck by the way Executive Vice President Séjourné’s demonstrated the scale of change – 900 pages of existing regulation in one hand and 200 pages of the new proposal in the other. It is a measure of the vision for change intended for procurement.

As my Department is Chairing this important initiative at Council level during our Presidency of the EU Council, I will ensure that this very important initiative is given every priority to progress it with real effect. The procurement market covers some 15% of EU GDP and I am very conscious of the economic heft that this sector wields.”

Minister of State with responsibility for Public Procurement, Digitalisation and eGovernment, Frank Feighan said:

“The Commission's proposal represents an important step towards a more modern, agile and user-friendly public procurement system across Europe.

I look forward to supporting Ireland's leadership role in the forthcoming negotiations and to working with Member States to develop a framework that delivers greater simplicity, transparency and value for public buyers and suppliers.

The proposal aligns closely with the ambitions set out in Ireland's National Public Procurement Strategy and provides an important opportunity to strengthen procurement as a strategic function across the European Union.”