The interparliamentary conference was chaired by Mr Marc Tarabella, MEP, Member of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection and Ms Monica Macovei, MEP, Member of the Committees on Budgetary Control and on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.

The conference discussed the importance of the European Parliament’s scrutiny role, EU provisions governing the area of public procurement, the fight against mismanagement of public funds in public procurement as well as the international cooperation in the fight against corruption.

The participates spoke about the ways of expanding markets, the application of the appropriate criteria in order to obtain the best value for money in all public procurement procedures, as well as legal protection of the participants.

On day one of the Conference, the participants had the opportunity to attend hearing at the meeting of the EP’s Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection, during which the challenges of the implementation of the regulations by the member states of the European Union were discussed. This was also an opportunity for participants to see the importance of the supervisory role of the European Parliament on the spot.

Day two of the conference was majorly focused on the fight against corruption and the fight against mismanagement of public funds in public procurement.

The conference enabled participants to exchange views with Members of the European Parliament, the Commission members and experts on the importance of efficient and effective public procurement system, based on adequate legal rules, respecting the principles of transparency, equality and protection of the rights of all participants, as well as on ways of preventing corruption.

The Conference was organised by the European Parliament within the 2017 Support Programme for parliaments of the enlargement countries.