Inside the Stakeholder Expert Group on Public Procurement

"The revision of the directive has the potential to deliver significant benefits for such workers — whether they are producing textiles for our hospitals or working in the construction or service industry." 

The SEGPP, comprising selected experts and organisations, will support the European Commission in overhauling procurement rules to embed mandatory social and environmental criteria.

Swedwatch’s selection reflects its strong commitment to driving sustainability and human rights compliance in procurement practices.

As an independent, non-profit research organisation, Swedwatch strives to empower rights holders and to promote responsible business practices.

It exposes the impacts of unsustainable business operations on people and planet, building bridges with relevant stakeholders like the European Commission to affect change. 

Shortcomings in the current directive

The existing Public Procurement Directive falls short of addressing key ethical and environmental issues.

Under the current framework, procurement processes across the EU rarely consider criteria beyond cost, as the directive merely recommends rather than enforces the inclusion of sustainability standards. This voluntary approach leaves critical gaps, making it difficult to hold companies accountable for human rights violations or environmental harm.

Additionally, procurement officials face challenges in excluding bidders who fail to meet basic labour laws or human rights obligations. This limitation undermines the EU’s broader sustainability and human rights goals.

Swedwatch aims to tackle these gaps, not just through legal revisions but by calling for greater support and training for public procurement officials across EU Member States.

Sofia explains: "Efforts to raise awareness and build knowledge among contracting authorities — such as effective monitoring of supplier compliance and incorporating sustainability criteria — are as crucial as addressing the legislative shortcomings."

To that end, Swedwatch is urging the European Commission to allocate more resources to build the capacity of procurement authorities. Practical tools and shared platforms to monitor supplier compliance are among the solutions Swedwatch proposes to improve transparency and accountability in procurement processes.

Swedwatch are not the only ones bringing their thoughts to the table, as other notable recent appointments to the SEGPP include Hans Bax, an Executive Procurement Consultant at BPC, who expressed: "This appointment is both a privilege and a responsibility, as it allows me to contribute to shaping the future of public procurement policy in the European Union."

Aleksandra Czajka, a Public Procurement Specialist at the Global Organic Textile Standard, is also grateful for the opportunity as she "looks forward to engaging with the fellow experts to exchange ideas, share insights and contribute to creating a more efficient and sustainable procurement system." 

Public consultation on the directive’s future

As part of the revision process, the European Commission has launched a public consultation to evaluate the performance of the 2014 Public Procurement Directives.

Stakeholders and members of the public are invited to share their perspectives and evidence on how well the directives have achieved their objectives.

The evaluation aims to determine whether the directives remain effective, cost-efficient and relevant in addressing current challenges.

Topics under review include fostering competition, improving SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) participation, streamlining procurement processes and advancing sustainability goals. The consultation also examines how the directives align with other EU initiatives and whether they need further simplification to reduce regulatory costs.

Feedback is open until 7 March 2025, with submissions accepted in all EU languages. The Commission hopes this process will highlight barriers to implementing the directives and reveal opportunities for improvement.

Swedwatch has laid out 10 recommendations to strengthen public procurement as a force for preventing human rights violations and environmental harm.

Among the key proposals are:

1. Revising the directive to make sustainability criteria mandatory.
2. Aligning the directive with international human rights standards, such as the UN Guiding Principles (UNGPs).
3. Expanding the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) to include SMEs.
4. Allowing procurement authorities to exclude suppliers that fail to meet human rights or environmental due diligence obligations.
5. Requiring companies in the EU market to map their suppliers and ensure transparency.
6. Creating a centralised information-sharing platform on suppliers’ compliance with human rights and environmental standards.
7. Equipping procurement officials with training resources and practical tools for sustainable procurement.
8. Allocating funding to build expertise and capacity among contracting authorities.
9. Encouraging Sweden, as a leader in sustainable public procurement, to align its national legislation with the UNGPs.
10. Urging Sweden and Members of the European Parliament to actively support the revision of the directive to level the playing field for suppliers.

These measures highlight the critical role public procurement can play in promoting fair working conditions and environmental stewardship across global supply chains.

As the EU reviews its procurement framework, the inclusion of Swedwatch in the SEGPP offers a significant opportunity to influence policy and practice.

With its evidence-based approach and clear recommendations, Swedwatch is well-placed to drive progress towards a more sustainable and ethical European market.

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