EFCI Webinar Highlights Key Priorities for the Revision of EU Public Procurement Rules

On 29 January 2026, the European Cleaning and Facility Services Industry (EFCI) hosted a dedicated webinar on the ongoing revision of the EU Public Procurement Directives. The event brought together industry representatives, national associations, and EU policymakers to discuss key challenges, priorities, and best practices across Member States. 

The webinar was opened by Avril McCarthy, President of EFCI, who set the scene by underlining the importance of the European Commission’s review of the public procurement framework. With public procurement accounting for around €2.6 trillion annually, the revision has significant implications for both public authorities and service providers — particularly for labour-intensive services such as cleaning and facility management. 

Juliette Olivier, EFCI Policy Advisor, presented the association’s position, highlighting four key requests to the European Commission: 

• Reflect the specificities of procuring labour-intensive services  

• Better balance procurement criteria so that quality considerations are not overridden by price-only competition  

• Require a clear minimum standard of feedback for all unsuccessful bidders  

• Ensure effective EU oversight to ensure that Member States conduct public procurement in a transparent, fair, and accountable manner 

The webinar also covered national best practices. Andrea-Simone Johannes (BIV, Germany) presented the “Quality Matters” strategy, which supports contracting authorities with practical tools to implement quality-oriented and legally compliant procurement. Lorenzo Soresina (Markas on behalf of ANIP, Italy) presented recent reforms in Italy’s Public Procurement Code, including mandatory price-revision clauses, the use of the most economically advantageous tender for labour-intensive services, and enhanced transparency through digitalisation. 

An interactive discussion followed, with contributions from national associations and representatives of the European Commission’s DG GROW and DG EMPL. The exchange brought attention to the shared challenges across countries and the value of cross-European cooperation. 

The webinar reaffirmed EFCI’s commitment to advocating for procurement rules that promote quality services, fair competition, and decent working conditions, while supporting public authorities in achieving sustainable and resilient outcomes. 

For more information about EFCI, please contact us at secretariat@efci.eu