On 29 July 2011, the European Commission, in the context of a series of measures to boost eProcurement, announced the setting-up of an informal eProcurement expert group, by publishing the relevant Call for Applications ending on 30 September 2011.

eProcurement, the use of electronic communications and transaction processing by governments and other public sector organisations when buying supplies and services or tendering public works, can deliver significant savings to European taxpayers. The European Commission therefore announced a series of measures to boost the take-up of eProcurement in the EU.

Firstly, the Commission is issuing a call for applications for participation in a new, informal expert group on eTendering. Secondly, it is starting to monitor the use of eProcurement across Member States, in order to promote best practices. Thirdly, it is publishing the responses to the eProcurement Green Paper (IP/10/1347) which reveal considerable support for making the use of eProcurement compulsory in the EU. 

In the context of the first measure, the Commission decided to set up an informal expert group to develop a blue-print for common solutions for the electronic submission of offers. The group will issue recommendations in order to advise the Commission on Policy Initiatives relating to the architecture and design of the European eProcurement environment, and the organisation of critical procedures and functions. The Call was issued on 29 July 2011 by the Internal Market and Services Directorate General (DG MARKT) Unit C4 and the deadline for applications is 30 September 2011.