The process of revising the public procurement directives is coming to an end. Tomorrow, 14th January at 3 pm, at Strasbourg’s plenary session, MEPs will held the final debate on MEP Marc Tarabella’s reports (S&D, Belgium), which have been negotiated in detail in the trialogues (Commission, Council and Parliament). On Wednesday, 15th, around 12am, the vote will take place. The debate and the vote can be followed live here.

After the approval in plenary, the new texts replacing Directives 2004/18 (on public procurement) and 2004/17 (procurement in the water, energy, transport and postal services sectors) are expected to be published in the Official Journal in February, entering into force twenty days later.

According to the final texts:

• E-noticing will become mandatory two years after the entry into force of the Directive;
• E-tendering for Central Purchasing Bodies, three years after the entry into force of the Directive;
• General e-tendering, four and a half years after the entry into force of the Directive.

EU-wide e-tendering is thus on its way to become reality, thanks to the consistent work undertaken by the Commission, the Council and the European Parliament, particularly rapporteur Marc Tarabella.

Also on the 15th, two other relevant proposals will be voted: Proposal for a directive on concessions and Proposal for a regulation on the access of goods and services to public procurement markets.