End Users

The CEN BII workshop addressed issues caused by the diversified approaches to e-procurement across Europe, supporting organisations for communicating easily with each other, by providing common specifications for interoperable e-procurement solutions.

By providing the technical specifications to enable interoperability in electronic procurement across Europe, BII allowed public administrations and private companies to realise significant benefits:

  • Lower implementation costs in connecting to trading partners by using common specifications (“CEN BII profiles”) for message content, rather than entering into bilateral agreements – important especially for SMEs, and organisations with low transaction volumes.
  • Increased efficiencies through the exchange of structured information that can be processed seamlessly, and improved economies of scale from wider EU adoption.
  • Use of standardised and modular e-procurement solutions by encouraging the ICT industry to implement only one singular set of EU-wide specifications in their offerings.
  • Technical specifications compliant with EU Directives and policies on e-procurement requiring interoperability and standardisation – in particular with EU Directive on e-invoicing in public procurement.

EU governments can incorporate the BII specifications by reference into national laws, ordinances, or regulations on e-procurement; and/or in framework agreements with suppliers, ensuring interoperability across Europe.