The European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Commission have launched the European PPP Expertise Centre (EPEC) to enable public authorities in the EU Member and Candidate Countries to become more effective participants in PPP transactions.

Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) are gaining importance as vehicles to finance much-needed public infrastructure across Europe, accounting for well over EUR 200 bn of investment to date. Over the coming five years, in excess of EUR 100 bn will be invested in transport, health, education, environmental and other public investment projects through PPP transactions. It is vital that these projects are managed effectively, as part of successful national PPP programmes.

EPEC’s main task is to help the public sector to overcome shortfalls in PPP expertise. Despite considerable knowledge and experience in parts of Europe’s public sector, a series of authoritative reports confirm that failure to share lessons and best-practice is limiting the economic efficiency and growth of the EU PPP market. The newly-established European PPP Expertise Centre will share experience, pool and synthesise information from across the EU on requirements for effective transactions and skill-sets required to handle these. Good practice guidance will then be disseminated among EPEC’s members with the clear aim of enhancing public sector management, reducing PPP costs and increasing deal flow.

The experience of EIB and EPEC staff in negotiating and delivering PPP transactions ensures that the initiative will provide policy and programme support as well as a comparative information service. EPEC’s executive team will consist of experienced EIB personnel and experts from national PPP taskforces who will be based at the Bank’s headquarters in Luxembourg. They will provide network possibilities for members to share PPP expertise and experience, as well as policy and programme support to members in the form of practical and operational guidance. EPEC will not offer advice on individual projects.

Membership of EPEC is limited to public authorities whose role includes policy responsibility and the promotion of PPP projects or programmes at national or regional level. Over 25 EU-based PPP taskforces and units have indicated they wish to become members with around half having concluded membership agreements.