PUBLIC PROCUREMENT - Lexnet

Progress Report http://simap.eu.int/DA/pub/src/d009.html
The Competition Authority in Denmark had already for some time gained some experience
from informal problem solution both in purely domestic cases and in cross-border
procurement cases. After some initial inquiries among Member States, the Danish
Competition Authority convened a meeting with representatives from procurement policy
authorities in Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Spain on 12 May 1998 in Copenhagen.
At that meeting, the participating Member States agreed to cooperate within a Steering
Group for the project on the basis of a draft work programme (as to the contents of this, see
below). The commitments of participants in the project have been described in the "outline"
of the Pilot Project on Public Procurement.
During the summer of 1998, another Member State, Italy, expressed a wish to join the
project and become a member of the Steering Group. This was welcomed.
Organisation of the Project
a. Participants
The following Member States participate for the time being in the project: The Netherlands,
Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy and Denmark, i.e. countries which thus both in
relation to size, constitutional structure and geographical location form a representative
picture of the European Union.
b. Duration
The Pilot Project has a duration of 3 years from September 1998.
c. Management of the Project
As it follows from the above, a Steering Group has been appointed for the management of
the project. In addition to the participating Member States, the Commission participates in
the Group as an observer and provides a certain financial support for the project.
There is agreement that there will be a rotating chairmanship of the Steering Group, lasting
on average 6 months for each country. There is agreement that each chairmanship shall
convene at least one meeting of the Steering Group during the period, but that it is otherwise
up to the country assuming the chairmanship to arrange meetings as it is felt necessary.
Denmark has assumed this function from the start of the project up to 31 March 1999. From
1 April 1999, the UK takes over, and the subsequent chairmanships will be taken over by
Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Italy in the order mentioned.
During the Danish chairmanship, a total of four meetings have been held, all in Copenhagen.
After an inital meeting on 12 May 1998, where agreement on the creation of the Steering
Group was reached, this latter had met three times, on 10 September 1998, 10 December
1998 and 9 February 1999.
Activities within the Pilot Project Framework
The areas which have been identified in the initial work programme adopted as relevant for
the achievement of the project objectives fall into the five categories described below.
The Steering Group has agreed to concentrate efforts, at least in the first phase of the
project, on the first three elements of the work programme, being considered "hard core"
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