photo: TeaMeister / Flickr/Flags of European nations outside Strasbourg station
Europe’s rail suppliers are sounding the alarm over outdated public procurement rules that favour foreign competitors. UNIFE Director General Enno Wiebe says it’s time for the EU to defend fair trade, quality, and European jobs.
Europe’s severely out-of-date Public Procurement Directives are up for review, at a time when the European Rail Supply Industry faces increasingly unfair competition from companies in non-EU countries. Currently, companies in non-EU countries are allowed to bid on EU public contracts even if their governments block EU firms from bidding on their own public tenders. This practice is unfair, not in good faith, and does not allow a level playing field.
UNIFE Director General Enno Wiebe called on the European Commission to protect the integrity of global trade and create predictability for EU industry by revamping and streamlining procurement rules. As part of the upcoming Public Procurement Directive review, UNIFE calls on the European Commission to:
- Deter bidders from non-EU countries if their markets are closed to EU firms.
- Ensure European preference for strategic industries such as rail supply, especially where EU funding is involved.
- End the "aim for lowest price" criteria in favour of the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) approach.
- Cut bureaucratic burdens for SMEs that lack resources to handle complex tenders.
- Consider reforms for contract flexibility and inflation adjustments.
By undertaking these reforms, UNIFE argues, the EU would reinforce the principle of fair global trade, central to the success of Europe’s rail supply industry.
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Furthermore, the review of the Foreign Subsidies Regulation is underway. While acknowledging its deterrent effect, UNIFE calls for stronger rules to close loopholes in sectors like urban transport.
The EU’s current directives were established in 2014, under a very different geopolitical and trade landscape. According to the 2024 World Rail Market Study, market accessibility for EU rail suppliers dropped from 60% to 59% between 2021–2023 — representing billions of euros in lost opportunities.
The European Parliament has already signalled its support for reform, adopting a report in September urging the Commission to modernise the framework. The Commission will spend the remainder of this year and early 2026 preparing its review and proposed amendments.
Quotes attributable to UNIFE Director General Enno Wiebe:
"Against the background of increasing unfair competition from abroad, we call on the European Commission to create a level-playing field for EU industry on public procurement. This will help protect the integrity of global trade and markets through promoting good-faith practices."
"Europe’s future depends on backing strategic and critical industries such as rail supply, and we call on policymakers to undertake these reforms to keep it competitive and strong."
"The European Rail Supply Industry supports around 650,000 jobs and leads the world in innovation and quality, remaining at the heart of EU communities and economies."
Source: UNIFE Press Release