1. “ Working towards national Action Plans for Green public procurement
DG Environment

2. What = Green Public Procurement ?
Public authorities buying goods, services and works with tax payer’s money
Subject to Rules to ensure best value for money, equal treatment of bidders, transparency of specifications and criteria
‘Best value’ = prize, quality, aesthetic value etc.. can also include ENVIRONMENTAL value

3. Why Green Public Procurement?
14 à 16 % of EU GDP - big consumers
Set the example – snowball effect
Incentive for Environmental Technologies
Win-wins possible :
politically => EU citizens greatly value a healthy environment
financially (LCC approach)

4. Some concrete GPP examples
City of Wien => mandatory use of environmental criteria catalogue => total value of contracts covered = 5 billion €
City of Bonn => procurement of tropical timber only if certified as originating from sustainable forest management (FSC or equivalent)
City of Kolding, DK => 92 % of all framework agreements are « green » (2005)

5. GPP in the EU
Actual promotion of GPP started in 2003 with IPP Communication
Life cycle approach to improve environmental performance of products
Cooperation of all stakeholders
Public authorities identified for high potential
Member States are recommended to set up National Action Plans on GPP by end 2006
Improve environmental performance through life-cycle approach
Requires involvement of all stakeholders : government, industry, consumers ..
Special attention for market based tools such as Eco-labels and Green Public Procurement
Idea endorsed by Council in its Conclusions on IPP

6. GPP and ETAP
Kok Report on Lisbon Review => MS to draw up National Action plans for GPP!
ETAP = fully integrated in Lisbon strategy =>
boost competitiveness - reduce pressure on natural resources
by stimulating market for Environmental Technologies
Identifies over 20 actions => GPP is priority action
Report on implementation of ETAP early 2005
=> calls for National Action plans on GPP – endorsed by EP in its conclusions

7. Working towards National Action Plans for GPP
Action plans should
Be based on assessment of current situation
Set ambitious objectives for situation in 3 years
State measures taken to achieve those targets

8. Working towards National Action Plans for GPP
To help MS, the CE has concluded a service contract to
propose a definition and measurement tool for GPP
display figures on the actual situation on GPP in all 25 MS
propose political aspiration levels for GPP
propose more detailed targets per product group/organisation to support these aspirational levels
propose measurement tools and indicators to support these targets and enable future benchmarking

9. National Action plans on GPP
First results were presented in London at UK presidency event – made available on website
7 “front runners” => Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden and the UK
=> 40-70% of published tenders during the past year included environmental criteria
Other 18 countries => less than 30% of “green” tenders

10. Factors enabling GPP Political and managerial support - GPP programmes
Information sources (websites with “green” criteria)
Training programmes
Promote specific purchasing techniques
performance-based requirements
life-cycle-cost as award criterion
“green” variants
Implementation of environmental management systems by the procuring organisations

11. Most suitable products and services
Based on availability of clear environmental criteria and/or high environmental impact
Sewage, sanitation and disposal services
Paper
printing services
office machinery
Furniture
food products and catering services
construction work
transport equipment
electrical machinery and medical devices
energy

12. National Action Plans for GPP
Final Report will be presented in Graz, AU, April 2006 and will propose
List of products most suitable for « greening » in public procurement
Good practices, including different levels of GPP (going from simple win-win situations to more complicated Technology procurement)
Information on Life cycle cost
Recommendations for future

13. EU activities to promote GPP
Networking with Member States => information - guidance
Awareness-raising and training
Handbook on GPP in all EU languages!
Environmental database
Leaflet - guidelines on use of eco-label criteria in GPP
« knowledge base » website on GPP

14. Working with the Member States towards national action plans for GPP
Advisory Committee on public procurement = a « comitology » committee
Assists Commission in field of Public Procurement legislation (adoption/interpretation)
= KEY for National Action Plans on GPP => members have the power/capacity to propose/draft these action plans
CE has sent Guidelines for MS to set up Action Plans

15. Working towards National Action Plans for GPP
Guidelines
Sketch the political and legal background
Point at examples of MS where proper legal framework for GPP exists, including mandatory targets or obligations
Link GPP to other policy tools, such as eco-label and EMAS
Link GPP to recent legislation in the field of energy efficiency in buildings and eco-design of energy-consuming products and the draft end-ue efficiency and energy services directives

16. Working towards National Action Plans for GPP
Guidelines also underline the need for
Training
concerted action between Member States, regional and local authorites => provides links to useful networks
Provides links to GPP websites referring to technical specifications useful in GPP
Sets a provisional timetable => draft action plans by Spring 2006

17. Some examples of National strategies for GPP
Netherlands => Action programme setting targets (political commitment - regular monitoring)
By 2010 => 50 % overall GPP (doubling current level) % at government level
Tools : website, events, training, database containing environmental information for 32 products (including 3 levels of “greenness”)
Belgium => Working group including all levels of administration (national, regional, local) to set up national action plan
Website with « green » criteria
Mandatory GPP targets for vehicles, ICT, timber (federal level)
Improve environmental performance through life-cycle approach
Requires involvement of all stakeholders : government, industry, consumers ..
Special attention for market based tools such as Eco-labels and Green Public Procurement
Idea endorsed by Council in its Conclusions on IPP

18. National strategies for GPP
Sweden
draft national action plan being finalised
= tool for GPP managed by the Swedish environmental Council, a company gathering public (State, Local authorities, County councils) and private stakeholders (Confederation of Swedish enterprises)
Develops/continually updates product criteria on the basis of scientific studies, involving all stakeholders, setting different levels of ambition, financed centrally, promoted with public purchasers
Improve environmental performance through life-cycle approach
Requires involvement of all stakeholders : government, industry, consumers ..
Special attention for market based tools such as Eco-labels and Green Public Procurement
Idea endorsed by Council in its Conclusions on IPP

19. Working towards National Action Plans for GPP
Support of IPP working group members = needed
=> to convince relevant authorities in the Member States of the need to adopt National Action Plans for GPP

20. addresses European Commission Environment Directorate-General
Directorate G – Sustainable development and integration
1049 Brussels
Belgium