PURPOSE: To create a legal basis for the classification of a Common Procurement Vocabulary (CVP).
CONTENT: The Common Procurement Vocabulary (CVP) was established with a view to simplifying the process of publishing contract notices. It consists of a main vocabulary for defining the subject of a contract and a supplementary vocabulary for adding further qualitative information. The main vocabulary is based on a five-level hierarchical structure, while the supplementary vocabulary has two levels. A wording describing the supplies, works or service in all the official languages is associated with each code.
The CPV has been systematically used since 1996 in all contract notices published in the Supplement to the Official Journal of the European Communities for identifying the subject of contracts and for automatic translation into the other official languages of the Community.
The proposed Regulation aims to streamline public procurement speak under one heading namely the CVP. Currently there are a number of other classification systems in use such as CPA, NACE, CPC Prov.and CN (Combined Nomenclature).
The advantage of a single multilingual classification system would enable economic operators to identify the contracts they are interested in with greater accuracy, thus giving them easier access to public contracts. Further, the CPV will enable the summaries of the contract notices to be translated automatically thus reducing the scope for errors. Costs could also be cut.
The main aim of this Regulation is to give legal definition to the CPV. The Regulation will establish definitions for classifying public contracts and establish procedures for maintaining and revising it.
Importantly, a revision procedure is foreseen as part of the implementation powers assigned to the Commission. In this regard the Commission will be assisted by the Advisory Committee on Public Contracts. Any changes or updates will be based largely on suggestions and comments made by the direct users of the CPV.�