CADA tracker · source extraction

Recital (74)

printed pages 33–34 · source locator: Recital (74); printed pages 33–34

Official source: COM(2026) 502 final — Proposal for a Cloud and AI Development Act

(74)

Contracting authorities of Member States frequently encounter significant difficulties
            in procuring digital solutions such as data centre services, cloud computing services,
            software and AI systems. Limited financial resources, reduced purchasing power,
            insufficient technical or procurement expertise prevent public-sector bodies from
            effectively accessing such services. Procurement activities conducted by the
            Commission in concertation with the contracting authorities of Member States can
            play a decisive role in harnessing collective purchasing power and ensuring access to

     33
            Regulation (EU) 2024/2847 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2024 on
            horizontal cybersecurity requirements for products with digital elements and amending Regulations
            (EU) No 168/2013 and (EU) 2019/1020 and Directive (EU) 2020/1828 (Cyber Resilience Act) (OJ L,
            2024/2847, 20.11.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/2847/oj).
     34
            Directive 2014/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014 on public
            procurement and repealing Directive 2004/18/EC (OJ L 94, 28.3.2014, p. 65, ELI:
            http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2014/24/oj).

            those services and supplies on favourable terms. The Commission may already carry
            out joint procurement procedures with contracting authorities of Member States
            pursuant to Article 168(2) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509. The Commission
            may also already act as a wholesaler by buiying, stocking, and reselling or donating
            supplies and services to partner organisations selected by it. In order to enable those
            entities to fully exploit the potential of the internal market, in particular as regards
            economies of scale and benefit sharing, the possibilities for the Commission to act as a
            central purchasing body should be extended to contracting authorities of Member
            States and to partner organisations selected by the Commission, as a form of
            procurement additional to those in Article 168(3) of the Regulation (EU, Euratom)
            2024/2509. It should be possible for the Commission to use all the procurement
            procedures available for the benefit of contracting authorities of Member States and of
            partner organisations selected by the Commission and to include purchasing activities
            conducted by the Commission for Union institutions, bodies and agencies. Contracting
            authorities of Member States, partner organisations and Union institutions, agencies
            and bodies should be considered as ‘participating entities’ in those procurement
            procedures.

Qualifications