Members voted by 25-5-8 on the proposal for a Directive on Procurement by entities operating in the water, energy, transport and postal services sectors ('Utilities directive'). Approximately 144 amendments were adopted, out of which the full 78 compromise amendments reached between Shadows and the Rapporteur (in total 1 004 amendments had been tabled).
The compromises adopted reflected those supported in the classic public procurement directive, which was voted on 18 December 2012. These include, notably, a compromise on a general principle on social and environmental considerations; on life-cycle costing; on subcontracting; on public-public cooperation and on exclusions as well as on the 'light regime' for social services.
Coordinators will decide at a later stage whether to open negotiations with the Council for an early first-reading agreement on the entire public procurement package or to submit the IMCO reports to plenary.
Source : © European Union, 2013 - EP