Reflections from the “EU Public Procurement anno 2025 – Are the Rules Fit for Purpose?” Conference in Copenhagen

On 23–24 April 2025, the University of Copenhagen hosted a major conference titled “EU Public Procurement anno 2025 – Are the Rules Fit for Purpose?” organised by Professor Carina Risvig Hamer. The two-day event brought together around 160 participants, including academics, procurement professionals, and representatives from various organisations across Europe. The conference provided a timely platform to discuss the future of EU public procurement rules, following the European Commission’s announcement of a comprehensive evaluation of the Procurement Directives in its Political Guidelines for 2024–2029.

The conference focused on a wide range of crucial topics relevant to the evaluation, such as:

• Who can participate in EU procurement procedures
• Central Purchasing Bodies (CPBs) and framework agreements
• Competition for public contracts
• Strategic public procurement
• Procurement procedures – challenges and effects
• Defence and security procurement
• Review systems and sanctions

The aim was to critically assess whether the current rules are fit for purpose or whether they require modernisation to better support goals like simplifying procedures, increasing competition, and facilitating strategic procurement initiatives.

Members of the SAPIENS Network actively contributed to the discussions:

Professor Roberto Caranta (SAPIENS Network Coordinator) spoke in the panel on review and sanctions, where he presented on damages after the CJEU’s Ingsteel ruling. His presentation explored the Court’s evolving approach to remedies in public procurement and its potential to strengthen enforcement across Member States.

Dr. Ezgi Uysal (former SAPIENS Early Stage Researcher) participated in the panel on strategic public procurement, presenting her research on the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and its implications for public procurement. Her presentation addressed:
o How the concept of due diligence is translated into responsible business conduct;
o The current form of the CSDDD and its main features;
o The proposed Omnibus changes aiming to boost “EU competitiveness”;
o The complex interplay between the CSDDD and public procurement rules, particularly how the requirement to link conditions to the subject matter of the contract creates tensions — a critical point for future revisions of the procurement directives.

The conference demonstrated the vibrant exchange of ideas between academia, practice, and policy-making, offering valuable insights for shaping the future of EU public procurement law.