On 21.06.2019 a Single Market Forum was held in Bucharest with the participation of the Hellenic Single Public Procurement Authority, at the invitation of the European Commission (DG Grow). HSPPA was represented by its Vice President, Mr. Adam Karaglanis, its Legal Adviser, Mr. George Trantas, and the Head of the Coordination Directorate, Mrs. Catherine Kyriazi.

In his speech at the Workshop on "The Future of Public Procurement", where he participated in the panel, Mr. Karaglanis referred to the key achievements of Greece and the Authority, in particular, over the last five years, and primarily to the formulation and adoption of an integrated National Public Procurement Strategy, as an example of best practice, as well as the key challenges for the next five years, but also the need to develop a strategic cooperation with the European Commission.

Regarding the main achievements of Greece and HSPPA, especially in the last five years, in the field of Public Procurement, the following were mentioned:

i) the timely transposition of European Directives and consolidation of the legislative framework,

ii) the formulation, for the first time, of a National Strategy, with clearly designed actions across the sector and specific implementation timetables, to establish a modern framework that will contribute to sustainable and equitable development,

iii) the centralization of markets by creating three National Central Markets, which helps to better design and save resources,

iv) the creation of KIMDIS and ESIDIS (e-platforms), to enhance the transparency and efficiency of procedures,

v) the creation of the National Public Procurement Database and the dynamic recording of Contracting Authorities and Bodies,

vi) the effective coordination of stakeholders, with the issuing of guidelines and binding standards by the Authority.

Looking ahead, HSPPA considers that the following should be high on the hierarchy of priorities, both at national and European level:

• professionalization in the field of public procurement
• the completion of the digital transformation
• further simplifying procedures, using new techniques and leveraging technological capabilities to make them more user-friendly
• further streamlining administrative structures and adopting the 'Once-Only Principle' principle
• strengthening equal access for all Member States to European programs, in particular small and medium-sized enterprises

Conference participants welcomed HSPPA’s initiatives and recognized the significant progress made in the field of public procurement in recent years in Greece.