Geopolitics and Public Procurement 

CONFERENCE

1 July 2026

Trg Republike Hrvatske 3, Zagreb (University of Zagreb Faculty of Law)

Lecture room III

Croatia needs more discussion on the big questions in public procurement, and more cooperation between academia and the private sector. With our upcoming "Geopolitics and Public Procurement" conference, we believe we are accomplishing both.

The external dimension of EU public procurement has moved from the margins to the centre of the policy debate. The question is no longer whether public procurement intersects with trade and foreign policy, but how that intersection should be governed. What should the EU do with third-country economic operators? Should we implement "Buy European" criteria? Are local content requirements compatible with the Treaties? Can procurement serve as a tool to achieve geostrategic goals? The Instrument for International Procurement, the Foreign Subsidies Regulation, and the recently adopted Industrial Accelerator Act all point in the same direction: procurement is now a front in the EU's broader economic security agenda. But the legal and policy implications of this shift are far from settled.

The University of Zagreb Faculty of Law and the Croatian Employers' Association (Hrvatska udruga poslodavaca) are organising this conference to bring together academics and practitioners and to continue the debate on these issues. An excellent lineup of international and Croatian speakers will address the topic from multiple angles, combining legal analysis with practical perspectives from the procurement community.

We look forward to welcoming you. Attendance is free with prior registration.