Interactive Panel Discussion on Social Dimensions of Public Procurement (4 June 2008 13:00-15:00)

Panel participants:

• Mr. Jan Andersson, President, Employment and Social Committee, European Parliament
• Professor Christopher McCrudden, Oxford University
• Ms. Fiona Murie, Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI)
• Ms. Sonia Regenbogen Luciw, Heenan Blaikie LLP
• Mr. Vinay Sharma, African Development Bank
• Mr. Florent Solier, Municipality of Nantes, EUROCITIES campaign

Opening address by Ms. Anke Fuchs, Chairperson, Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES)
Closing address by Mr. Michael Sommer, Chairman, Confederation of German Trade Unions (DGB)

Moderated by Mr. Hugh Williamson, Financial Times

Public investment via public contracts represents a high proportion of formal economic activity in both developed and developing countries. Public procurement law reform is actively pursued in different parts of the world focusing on ways to guarantee transparent and corruption-free tendering procedures. In that context, are any linkages to be drawn between “best value for money”, “fair labour clauses” and “sustainable procurement”? The interactive panel will address among other issues:

- New and expanding forms of public procurement and the risk of social dumping

- The procurement agenda of international financial institutions and social sustainability

- Labour clauses and social criteria in tendering, award and execution of public contracts

- Implications for future ILO action

Organized by the International Labour Standards Department (NORMES)
and the Department of Communication and Public Information (DCOMM)
with the financial support of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES)

Interpretation: English, French, Spanish, German