Last week in Luxembourg, the Architects’ Council of Europe (ACE) joined forces with the Order of Architects and Consulting Engineers in Luxembourg (OAI), the European Federation of Engineering Consultancy Associations (EFCA), and the European Council of Engineers Chambers (ECEC) for a high-level joint conference titled “Architects + Engineers: Partnership for Resilient Design.” 

The event brought together leading voices from architecture and engineering across Europe to highlight the crucial role of our professions in delivering resilient, sustainable, and future-ready solutions. 

Key topics and Conference Highlights

In the context of the ongoing revision of the EU Public Procurement Directive (PPD) and in alignment with the New European Bauhaus (NEB) initiative, the conference spotlighted the urgent need for reforms to ensure quality-based procurement and better support for innovative, SME-driven solutions.

A Joint Commitment: The Luxembourg Declaration

On this occasion, the four organisations unveiled the Luxembourg Declaration on Public Procurement—a shared commitment to improving procurement practices across Europe in support of design quality, sustainability, and long-term value. 

The full Declaration captures the joint vision and policy recommendations from the architectural and engineering sectors to: 

1. Strengthen the internal market with overarching public procurement rules that go beyond lowest price 

2 Provide for better recognition of the specific nature of intellectual services 

3 Ensure quality- and innovation oriented procurement procedures 

4. Improve access to procurement for SMEs and new entrants

The four Presidents’ Organisations handed the Declaration to Yuriko Backes, Minister for Mobility and Public Works, in charge of Public Procurement.

Pierre Hurt, OAI CEO, Yuriko BACKES, Minister for Mobility and Public Works of Luxembourg, Michelle FRIEDERICI, OAI President, Ruth SCHAGEMANN, ACE President, Inés FERGUSON VAZQUEZ DE PARGA, EFCA President Nina DRAZIN LOVREC, ECEC President, Photo OAI/ Melt Studio

Download the Luxembourg Declaration.

The Declaration is also available in French.

Missed the conference?

Watch the conference on Youtube.

Presentations and pictures are available via this link.