CPO LT continues to actively strengthen international cooperation – the organization is a member of the European network of Central Purchasing Bodies (CPB) and regularly participates in the network’s meetings. On December 2-3, CPO LT representatives visited Rome, where the CPB community meeting was held at the headquarters of Italy’s national CPO “Consip,” bringing together public procurement professionals from various European countries.
The goal of this network is to unite the central purchasing organizations of member states, promote dialogue, share best practices, and discuss the priorities and future directions of the public procurement system. The event in Rome focused on both national initiative reviews and the planning of joint projects. CPO LT was represented at the meeting by the institution’s director Neringa Andrijauskienė, deputy director Vaida Vaitkevičiūtė-Daugvilė, and head of the Legal and Methodology Department Agnė Kaminskienė.
Relevant topics and participation of international institutions
Representatives from the European Commission and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) also participated in the meeting and made significant contributions to the discussions. This once again highlighted the role of the CPB network in shaping European public procurement policy and striving for uniform standards and principles across Europe.
The agenda included the presentation of an updated CPB network cooperation memorandum. The document emphasized the importance of strengthening inter-institutional cooperation, expanding knowledge exchange, and the need for joint project development as key elements in strengthening the modern public procurement system. Network members unanimously agree that future member meetings should be held on a clear rotation principle in different member countries. It is planned that in 2027, the CPB community will gather in Vilnius.
Inclusion of SMEs in public procurement: Lithuania’s experience
A separate and highly relevant session was dedicated to the issue of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) participating in public procurement. In this discussion, international experts delivered presentations, and CPO LT’s head of the Legal and Methodology Department Agnė Kaminskienė presented Lithuania’s experience, providing a detailed overview of the role of CPO LT’s electronic catalog in creating a favorable environment for SMEs.
It is important to note that as many as 93% of suppliers registered in the catalog are SMEs, which implement about 80% of procurements, accounting for about 70% of the catalog’s turnover.
Innovation and international practices
During the meeting, significant attention was also given to other relevant public procurement topics. Participants shared practices from different countries and discussed innovations and regulatory changes. One of the thematic sessions was dedicated to the application of artificial intelligence in public procurement – Bongki Shin, a representative of Korea’s Public Procurement Service (PPS), presented solutions that are already successfully applied in the national public procurement system of this country.
Representatives of the European Commission provided the latest information on the implementation status of EU public procurement directives, anticipated updates, and future regulatory directions. OECD expert Erika Bozzay reviewed the main efficiency indicators of public procurement activities in her presentation, emphasizing the importance of data analysis for transparent and effective public procurement management.
Participation in the CPB network activities provides CPO LT with the opportunity to consistently strengthen international cooperation and the organization’s competencies. Such meetings allow sharing Lithuania’s experience in the international arena, adopting the best practices of other countries, engaging in joint initiatives, and continuously following the latest public procurement trends. Active participation in the European community helps CPO LT implement innovative solutions and further develop a modern, efficient, and transparent public procurement system in Lithuania.
