Spain: CNMC concerned over abuse of ‘entrustment’ in public works

The president of the National Commission of the Markets and Competition (CNMC) of Spain, José María Marín Quemada, has stated that the agency has looked on “with concern” at possible abuse by the Government of “entrustment” (encomienda) contracts, which do not require a public contest.

“The ‘encomiendas’ are very convenient for the Administration, though they don’t always fit well within the competition framework,” Marín Quemada warned as part of the event organized by the College of Civil Engineers.

Marín assured his audience that when it comes to public companies, the CNMC’s actions “are exactly the same”. “They are neither a brake nor an incentive to act otherwise.” The engineering sector has expressed some discomfort about the no-contest contracts signed by the Ministry of Development with the company Ineco, as well as those of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment with Tragsatec.

Full Content: El Economista

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