Role of green public procurement in improving resource efficiency

Public authorities spend public money when they procure products or services. The amount of this public money is currently representing approximately 19 % of the EU GDP, accounting more than 2.3 trillion EUR. By spending such large amount of money authorities could have a significant impact on the market, could create demand and show a good example.

This potential of Green Public Procurement (GPP) as a policy instrument has been increasingly recognised at national, EU and international levels. In 2002, the OECD adopted a Recommendation on green public procurement. The UN also highlighted the importance of public procurement its Sustainable Development Goals (goal 12 on sustainable consumption and production).

Within the EU, the potential of GPP was first highlighted in the 2003 European Commission Communication on Integrated Product Policy. From that time on, understanding the power of public procurement, the European Union in all relevant strategic documents highlights the relevance of GPP in reaching sustainable development. In the light of this tendency nowadays public procurement is not merely treated as an administrative process for buying something, but rather as a useful tool that contributes to reaching strategic goals.