HISTORIC PRESS RELEASE : Wood Review – Consultation On European Public Procurement Markets [February 2004]

The press release issued by HM Treasury on 19 February 2004.

Alan Wood today launched a consultation process to identify the barriers faced by British businesses in accessing the estimated €1,500bn per year European market in public procurement.

Mr Wood, Chief Executive of Siemens in the UK and Chair of the EEF Economic Policy Committee, has been asked by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to examine the difficulties faced by UK-based firms in competing for public procurement contracts in other European Union countries.

The consultation will run until early April, and Mr Wood will present his findings and recommendations for action later this year.

Launching his consultation, Alan Wood said:

“We want to know which factors help UK suppliers win public contracts in other Member States, and what difficulties they encounter. I want to find out how these experiences compare with tendering for public sector contracts in the UK or for private sector contracts in other Member States.

We will look at any specific examples of barriers faced by UK firms and whether there is any unfair discrimination or other factors at work. I will also look at which procurement practices encountered in other Member States are helpful or unhelpful”.

Businesses can find a questionnaire and further information about the review on www.woodreview.org.