Public procurement is considered one of the European Union's most important tools for supporting economic growth, innovation and industrial competitiveness. Beyond ensuring the efficient use of public funds, it is increasingly recognised as a strategic policy instrument that can strengthen European industrial capacity, accelerate the green and digital transitions, improve resilience and strategic autonomy, and create new opportunities for innovative companies. In this context, the European Commission has recently proposed the Public Procurement Act to modernise and simplify the EU's public procurement framework. The proposal aims to create a single, harmonised regulation for the Single Market and aims to make procurement more flexible, accessible and attractive for European industry (particularly SMEs and innovative companies) while giving public buyers greater flexibility to pursue strategic policy objectives through procurement.

Against this background, the European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP), on behalf of the European Commission, is organising the EU Industry Talk "The new public procurement rules: What the Commission's proposal could mean for industry" on 14 October 2026, from 08:30 to 10:00 CET (online). The session will explore what the proposal could mean in practice for businesses, public authorities and business support organisations, with a particular focus on SME participation, innovation procurement and the practical implications of the proposed new framework.

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The discussion will examine how the proposal could reduce barriers for companies participating in public procurement, bring public buyers and suppliers closer together throughout the procurement process, and create new opportunities for innovative companies across Europe.

Speakers include:

• Henning Ehrenstein, Head of Unit for European Public Procurement Policy, DG GROW, European Commission
• Sophia Zakari, Director of Enterprise Policy and Legal Affairs, SMEUnited
• Ellen Hausel Heldahl, Expert, Confederation of Swedish Enterprise
• David Páez, Director of Consultancy and International Projects, CTA (Corporación Tecnológica de Andalucía)
• Anita Poort, Innovation and procurement policy officer, DG GROW, European Commission

   

This event is part of the EU Industry Talks, a new series of webinars organised by the ECCP to engage a broader audience beyond the cluster community on cross-cutting EU industrial topics. The series brings together business leaders, policymakers, industrial associations, investors, research and innovation organisations, and other ecosystem stakeholders to exchange views and insights on key industrial users.