Communication
The aim of the protection of market competition is primarily to create benefits for consumers and equal conditions for all entrepreneurs on the market, who, acting in accordance with the existing rules and competing on the market with the quality, price and innovation of their products and services, contribute to the overall development of the economy.
Final Conference of the OECD and EC TSI Project “Fighting Bid Rigging in Public Procurement”
The final conference of the OECD and European Commission Technical Support Instrument (TSI) project “Fighting Bid Rigging in Public Procurement in Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece and Romania” was held today in Paris. The project was implemented under the European Union’s Technical Support Instrument (TSI).
Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece and Romania participated in the project, which aimed to strengthen their capacities to prevent, detect and sanction bid rigging in public procurement. The project ran from September 2024 to September 2026 and was funded by the European Union through the Technical Support Instrument and implemented by the OECD in cooperation with the European Commission.
During the project, a total of 21 events were held across the six participating countries, bringing together more than 856 representatives from the public and private sectors, including public procurement officials, judges, representatives of other enforcement authorities and private-sector representatives. The activities focused on strengthening knowledge and capacities to prevent and detect bid rigging, as well as enhancing cooperation between competition authorities, public procurement authorities and other relevant institutions.
The project was based on the OECD Recommendation on Fighting Bid Rigging in Public Procurement and the OECD Guidelines for Fighting Bid Rigging in Public Procurement (2025 Update) that support the implementation of the Recommendation and provide good practices for public officials on preventing, detecting and reporting bid-rigging cartels in public procurement.
In addition to workshops and capacity-building activities, the project included the development of educational and competition compliance materials for public procurement, as well as recommendations for strengthening cooperation between competition authorities and public procurement authorities.
The final conference brought together representatives of competition authorities, policymakers and other international stakeholders. The conference presented the project’s key achievements, provided an opportunity to exchange experience on national results, and explored opportunities for further cooperation among the participating countries. Particular attention was given to linking the experience gained through this project with those from another TSI project being implemented in Czechia, France, Ireland, Latvia, Poland and Portugal.
The Croatian Competition Agency (CCA) was represented at the final conference by Sandi Valentinc, head of the International Cooperation Department. In his presentation, he outlined the activities and results achieved in Croatia during the two-year project, as well as future steps in the fight against bid rigging in public procurement.
As part of the final event, the OECD also presented the project’s final report, Fighting Bid Rigging in Public Procurement in Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece and Romania: Improving Competition through Advocacy and Co-operation. The report identifies good practices, lessons learned and recommendations for strengthening cooperation and competition advocacy in public procurement, including in the areas of prevention, detection and reporting of bid rigging.
