Greening public procurement

European public authorities spend about 16% of the EU’s gross domestic product a year, for the procurement of goods and services.

The public sector increasingly demands innovative green products and services, thereby making a concrete contribution to effective climate protection. Sustainable procurement is therefore a central element of an environmentally and fair modernisation of the economic structures and an important instrument in the framework of the EU 2020-strategy for intelligent, sustainable and integrated growth.

In the context of a study for the European Commission, adelphi is presently analysing ways for EU member countries to integrate innovation and sustainability in public procurement. The analysis involves three steps: (1) taking an inventory of national policies, regulations and incentive measures, (2) analysing the actual implementation in public entities, and (3) identifying the effects on specific areas of procurement.

The project runs until May 2011 and is headed by adelphi as lead coordinator.