EU GPP Helpdesk Webinar on 'How to boost the participation of Social Economy Entities (SEE) in public procurement'

On 6 November 2025, a webinar dedicated to enhancing the participation of Social Economy Entities (SEE) in public procurement was held, bringing together experts, policymakers, and practitioners from across Europe. The event explored how public buyers can foster social impact through procurement practices that support inclusive growth and employment.

Public procurement plays a crucial role in strengthening the social economy. By procuring from SEE, contracting authorities not only acquire quality goods and services but also contribute to the creation of employment opportunities for vulnerable groups, promoting social cohesion and inclusive labour markets.

The webinar revisited the 2014 EU Public Procurement Directives and their transposition across all EU Member States, which have empowered contracting authorities to further integrate social objectives into procurement. Participants also discussed the 2024 updates to these Directives, which introduced new instruments facilitating the participation of SEE. Among these are provisions allowing certain tendering procedures to be reserved for sheltered workshops and economic operators focused on integrating persons with disabilities and other disadvantaged individuals (Article 20), as well as the possibility to award contracts in separate lots to encourage the participation of smaller bidders (Article 46).

The webinar aimed to equip contracting authorities with practical examples and good practices to help SEE scale their social impact and strengthen their role in public procurement.

The event featured a series of insightful presentations:

• Lois Pimentel-Iglesias from the European Commission opened the session with a welcome and introduction.
• Professor Roberto Caranta from the Università di Torino presented the most relevant provisions of the EU Public Procurement Directive.
• Javier Mendoza Jiménez, Professor at the Universidad de La Laguna (Spain), shared good practices from the Canary Islands.
• Clémentine Cahier and Gabriel Suarez, SRPP Experts from Relais2D (France), presented innovative approaches implemented in France.
• Angela Achitei, President of ADV Romania, concluded the series with examples from Romania, showcasing how public procurement can drive social inclusion and local development.

The webinar underscored the growing importance of aligning public procurement with social policy goals, offering a platform for exchange and collaboration among European actors committed to advancing the social economy.

Recording is available online through CircaBC