Public procurement: Members of the Central Purchasing Bodies (CPB) Network have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation

At the meeting in Rome, Slovenia is represented by Sašo Matas, Director-General of the Public Procurement Directorate, and his colleagues. This is the first follow-up to the CPB Network meeting, hosted by the Ministry of Public Administration in Ljubljana in April. These meetings provide an opportunity to exchange experience and best practice in joint public procurement. During this meeting, particular attention was paid to changes in the EU regulatory framework for public procurement and to the future operations of the network under the newly adopted Memorandum of Cooperation.

The Memorandum of Cooperation within the CPB Network is a non-binding international instrument that formalises the cooperation of its members. It demonstrates the members' joint commitment to fostering and strengthening international cooperation on strategic public procurement, public procurement regulation, and innovative solutions to improve the efficiency of public procurement in Europe. The signing of this document marks the 20th anniversary of the members' very first meeting.

Established in 2005, the CPB Network currently brings together 21 central purchasing bodies from 20 European countries (EU Member States, other EEA countries, and the United Kingdom). The CPB Network meetings are held once or twice a year to facilitate discussion and cooperation on key challenges in strategic public procurement, and to promote the exchange of information and experience in order to make public and joint procurement more efficient across Europe.