ASSORUP’s institutional mission to Estonia marks a decisive step in the process of building a European network dedicated to the professionalisation of public procurement managers. President Daniele Ricciardi and Board Member Federica Perrotta, accompanied by international expert Tom Annikve, held a series of strategic meetings with institutions, experts and sector stakeholders, with the aim of consolidating alliances and sharing perspectives on the main issues related to public procurement.
The visit began with an in-depth discussion with Erki Fels, Associate Partner at the Tegos law firm and lecturer at the University of Tartu. During the meeting, ASSORUP presented the process that will lead to the drafting of the comparative report on professionalisation in Europe, a document that will collect the best practices of the Member States and will constitute the scientific basis of the European Conference of Procurement Managers, scheduled for 15 October in Naples.
The dialogue highlighted a strong convergence on the need to strengthen the professional role of the single procedure managers (responsabili unici del procedimento) and to promote common standards at European level.
Subsequently, the delegation was received at the Estonian Ministry of Finance by Estella Põllu, Head of the Public Procurement Unit. The discussion made it possible to explore Estonia’s experience, a country recognised for its high level of digitalisation and its systemic approach to the training of civil servants. The exchange offered valuable insights for ASSORUP’s comparative work, confirming the importance of a European framework that enhances skills, responsibilities and professional career paths.
In the afternoon, the mission continued with a meeting dedicated to the establishment of the European network of communities operating in the field of public procurement. The meeting with Tõnis Hintsov and Lauri Lusti of the Estonian Supply Chain Association laid the foundations for stable cooperation between associations, with the aim of creating a common platform capable of supporting innovation, training and the dissemination of proposals and projects in the interest of procurers.
The visit to Estonia represents a key milestone in ASSORUP’s international strategy: a path that aims to give a voice to European procurement managers, promote their professionalisation and contribute to the construction of a more competent, transparent and modern public procurement system.
