Public Procurement in an Overall Economic Context (Das Öffentliche Auftragswesen Im Gesamtwirtschaftlichen Zusammenhang)

Regulation of public procurement is seen inevitable in the context of the WTO international trade regime. Market-oriented reforms of public procurement in EU member states have also been viewed as important steps towards realizing a single market in Europe. Although in the EU some 16 percent of GDP are subject to public procurement, only 2.6 percent of all government orders are open to public bids. And although the EU is striving for more competition in the single market, many exceptions prevent full market-orientation in this field. In particular, a number of side-goals, such as gender employment and environmental sustainability, have watered-down the original target of fostering competition intensity in the EU