Call for applications for the selection of experts as members of the Commission stakeholder expert group on public procurement

2012/C 38/08

By Decision of 3 September 2011 (1) (‘the Decision’), the Commission set up a stakeholder expert group on public procurement. This group of experts replaces the previous advisory committee on the opening up of public procurement, created by Commission Decision of 26 May 1987 (2). The task of the group is to provide the Commission with high-quality legal, economic, technical and/or practical insight and expertise with a view to assisting it in shaping the public procurement policy of the European Union.

The Commission is therefore calling for applications with a view to selecting members of the group in accordance with Article 4 of the Decision.

Pursuant to that Article, the group of experts will consist of 20 members. Six of these will be chosen in their personal capacity and will act independently and in the public interest. The remaining members may be individuals appointed to represent common interests relevant to procurement or organisations in the broad sense.

The Commission is seeking experts with first-hand experience in the award of public contracts, whether because of their position in the supply chain or on the awarding side, or because of their regular contacts or experience in the field of procurement. They may be experts from business (including SMEs), associations of contracting authorities, academics, lawyers, economists, statisticians or others.

In all cases, the Commission will take the following criteria into account when assessing applications:

Members of the group of experts must be nationals of a Member State of the European Union or of an acceding country or European Economic Area country. Signed applications must be sent by 5 March at the latest. The date of sending will be established as follows:

The meetings of the group will be held in English and/or in French. Therefore, for practical reasons, applicants must be able to express themselves fluently in one of those languages, and to have at least a proficient passive understanding of both of them. Applications must be completed either in English or in French, clearly indicating the applicant’s nationality and including the necessary documentation.

All applicants must submit a curriculum vitae indicating their educational background, professional experience and language knowledge (active and passive). The following information should also be included:

The Commission reserves its right to ask for any supporting documents at a later stage, and to replace any member who has provided inaccurate or false declarations.

Pursuant to Article 4 of the Decision, all members of the group should meet ‘high standards of active and quality participation during the meetings and in their preparation and follow-up if needed’. The group is expected to meet at least twice a year.

The Commission will select members of the group for a three-year term, renewable once. Members must respect the conditions of confidentiality mentioned in Article 5 of the Decision (4). Members appointed in their personal capacity undertake to act independently and in the public interest.

Travel and subsistence expenses incurred by members of the group will be reimbursed by the Commission in accordance with the provisions in force at the Commission, within the limits of the available budgetary appropriations. Members will receive no remuneration for their duties.

The list of members of the group of experts will be published in the register of expert groups (5).

Personal data will be collected, processed and published in accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 (6).

For any further information, please contact Mr De Wulf, Mme Szalai or Mme Carrillo Loeda, telephone: +32 22958871, e-mail: Markt-c2@ec.europa.eu

Information on the results of the call for applications will be published on the Internet site of DG Internal Market and Services and in the Official Journal of the European Union.

(1)  Commission Decision of 3 September 2011 setting up a Commission stakeholder expert group on public procurement and replacing Decision 87/305/EEC setting up an advisory committee on the opening-up of public procurement (OJ C 291, 4.10.2011, p. 2).

(2)  Commission Decision of 26 May 1987 setting up an advisory committee on the opening-up of public procurement (87/305/EEC) (OJ L 152, 12.6.1987, p. 32).

(3)  Commission Decision 2000/407/EC of 19 June 2000 relating to gender balance within the committees and expert groups established by it (OJ L 154, 27.6.2000, p. 34).

(4)  See footnote 1.

(5)  Members who do not wish to have their names disclosed may apply for exemption from this rule. A request not to disclose the name of a member of an expert group will be considered justified whenever publication could endanger his or her security or integrity or unduly prejudice his or her privacy.

(6)  Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2000 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by the Community institutions and bodies and on the free movement of such data (OJ L 8, 12.1.2001, p. 1).