GPP in Flemish governments cooperation agreement with municipalities

The Flemish Department of Environment, Nature and Energy provided subsidies to municipalities signing the cooperation agreement (2008-2013). Signing up meant municipalities had to comply with the basic requirements. Extra subsidies could voluntary be earned with actions at award level or projects. One of the 10 themes was environmentally optimal product use. Within this theme the basic requirements were that municipalities should use of wood of sustainable exploitation, certified debris in tenders and passive sensitisation. At award level they should use ecological products in their own organisation and also promote them among target groups (product groups: compost, debris, materials from gerecycled plastics, office supplies, catering, organic products, cleaning products, wood preservatives, paints and varnishes, products from recognised recycling centres). For these product groups GPP guidelines were developed. Approved projects to stimulate environmentally optimal product use could be covered for 50%. The evaluation was based on yearly reports. For a lot of municipalities, this meant the start of GPP in their organisation.