Rules concerning third countries' reciprocal access to EU public procurement : annex IV : game theory considerations

Focusing on some main strategic themes, underlying the EU and third countries interaction in public procurement markets (PPM), within a very stylised game theory framework a main message of the paper suggests that open PPM may be more likely when, in the parties' negotiations, the perspective of contracting authorities prevails on that of the business firms. We then discuss conditions under which also a business firms' perspective may enhance reciprocated open PPM. Based on the analysis the paper ends with remarks on the likelihood of Third Countries retaliation in the different scenarios corresponding to the policy options discussed in the Commission's impact assessment on ruling access of Third Countries' companies to EU PPM.