Current situation With a market share of more than 16% of the EU's GDP, public procurement is an integral part of a sustainable development policy, as agreed at the European Council in Göteborg and in the EU's 6th Environmental Action Programme. A co-ordinated and pro-environmental approach here will foster major improvements in the way services and products are made and provided. Furthermore, much is expected from public procurement to foster the entry of 'green' products into the market in the framework of the Integrated Product Policy, a policy that aims to change consumption patterns by means other than command and control.
In May 2000, the European Commission published a proposal to revise the 1993 public procurement directives. The EEB main concern was that the new Directives on Public Procurement would put an end to the rights of public authorities to use public procurement to promote environmentally responsible production and products/services.
In the end, the compromise reached between the Commission, Parliament and the Council will allow public procurement to promote environmentally sound products and services and, to a certain extent, production as well. The main environmental merit is that ecolabels are now recognised as selection criteria. And the Directives most likely will not reduce the freedom of public authorities to play a progressive role as important consumers.
What is the EEB doing? The EEB has made greening the economy a key element of its activities for the coming years. The EEB wants socially, environmentally and ethically sustainable public contracting and wants contracting authorities to take the broadest and most community-inclusive approach to assessing value for money in public contracting.
The EEB followed the Directives on Public Procurement through the second reading in the European Parliament. EEB joined forces with other environmental organisations like Greenpeace, WWF, FoEE, FERN, CAN as well as social organisations like the public servants union, fair trade organisations, disability fora and cities' organisations. The coalition concentrated on external costs and processes and production methods to be eligible as award criteria.
Since the Directives have been adopted some social and environmental organisations are continuing to co-operate. They are attempting to develop jointly an implementation guide for their national members.
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For more information, please contact: Karola TASCHNER
email: karola.taschner@eeb.org
