70. Considers furthermore that such a procedure would improve the functioning of the internal market and the development of a European defence equipment market and a European defence technological and industrial base and would drive growth for innovative SMEs; stresses that such a procedure has already
been agreed in the revised Classic and Utilities Procurement Directives, allowing contracting authorities to establish a long-term innovation partnership for the development and subsequent purchase of new, innovative products, services or works, providing the necessary ‘market pull’ and incentivising the development of an innovative solut
...[+++]ion without foreclosing the market;