The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) has published its opinion on the evaluation of the 2014 Public Procurement Directives, adding a strong institutional voice to calls for a revision that puts quality, continuity and social value at the heart of how public money is spent.

With the Commission's revision proposal expected at the beginning of July, the CoR's position matters, and much of what it says resonates closely with EASPD's own advocacy priorities.

Why this matters

Public procurement accounts for around 14% of EU GDP, and nearly half of that is managed by local and regional authorities. The CoR emphasises that these authorities must be central to the revision process, and the new rules must not pile on additional administrative burdens.

What the CoR is calling for

The opinion covers a lot of ground, but here are the highlights most relevant to disability service providers:

Simpler rules. The CoR proposes fewer rigid requirements, easier compliance checks, and thresholds updated to reflect inflation. For providers already navigating complex procedures, this is welcome news. But EASPD urges caution. Simplification shouldn't come at the expense of quality, EASPD advocates instead for systems that are easier to operate and better aligned with the realities of public purchasing rather than outright oversimplification.

Quality over price. The CoR backs broader use of the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) criterion, so that contracts can be awarded on the basis of quality, social value and environmental performance, not just cost. It specifically highlights social and care services as sectors where quality criteria should take priority.

Ensuring Service Continuity. This strongly aligns with EASPD’s position: the CoR explicitly acknowledges that the three-year non-repeat rule under Article 77, which restricts awarding reserved contracts to the same organisation too frequently, has simply not worked in practice. It gets in the way of continuity and stability, which are essential in social services and people’s quality of life.

Social services are different. The CoR calls for dedicated measures for local services such as childcare, elderly care and housing, recognising that these are not delivered under ordinary market conditions. This is an important signal that the one-size-fits-all approach needs to change.

Protect workers. The opinion reinforces that compliance with labour law and collective agreements should be a baseline condition for all procurement, protecting both workers and providers who play by the rules.

Train public buyers. The CoR also calls for better training and support for public buyers across Europe, particularly in smaller administrations that often lack dedicated procurement expertise.

What this means for EASPD

The CoR opinion reflects a growing consensus across EU institutions: the current procurement framework is not working well enough for social services, and the revision must fix that. The explicit acknowledgement of the Article 77 problem, combined with the push for quality criteria in care and support services, gives EASPD more institutional backing as we continue to advocate for a Socially Responsible Public Procurement that serves people.