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Are EU Institutions Still Green Actors? An Empirical Study of Green Public Procurement

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  • Diego Badell
  • Jordi Rosell

Abstract

Analysing the environmental actorness of the EU, more than one voice has spoken of the myth of a Green Europe and a dismantling process of its environmental ambitions. To date, any attempt to quantify this in a homogeneous fashion by different levels of government and institutions has run into serious difficulties. This research, however, uses green public procurement (GPP) as the research instrument to quantify the commitment to environmental policies. We construct the database from tenders published in the Supplement to the Official Journal between 2009 and 2019. Based on more than 743,061 observations, the article finds that the EU's institutions have the lowest GPP adoption rates in relation to all other levels of government. Moreover, it also records marked differences between the EU institutions where the European Parliament is performing better than the European Commission and, during Juncker Commission, EC performs worse.

Suggested Citation

  • Diego Badell & Jordi Rosell, 2021. "Are EU Institutions Still Green Actors? An Empirical Study of Green Public Procurement," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(6), pages 1555-1572, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jcmkts:v:59:y:2021:i:6:p:1555-1572
    DOI: 10.1111/jcms.13204
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    1. Plaček, Michal & del Campo, Cristina & Valentinov, Vladislav & Vaceková, Gabriela & Šumpíková, Markéta & Ochrana, František, 2022. "Gender heterogeneity and politics in decision-making about green public procurement in the Czech Republic," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 10(3), pages 239-250.
    2. Gao, Jingzhe & Wei, Haixiao, 2025. "Impact of differentiated green incentive policies on traditional and certified green product markets," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    3. Nicolas, Ruben & Titl, Vítězslav & Schotanus, Fredo, 2025. "European funds and green public procurement," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 227(C).
    4. Michal Plaček & Cristina del Campo & Vladislav Valentinov & Gabriela Vaceková & Markéta Šumpíková & František Ochrana, 2022. "Gender Heterogeneity and Politics in Decision-Making About Green Public Procurement in the Czech Republic," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 10(3), pages 239-250.
    5. André Luiz Trajano Santos & Augusto Cunha Reis, 2025. "Public procurement from the triple bottom line lens: the identification of sustainability criteria from the international literature review," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(5), pages 9805-9840, May.
    6. Rosell, Jordi, 2023. "Did governments neglect the environment during the COVID-19 pandemic? An empirical analysis of green public procurement," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 835-849.
    7. Liliana BUNESCU & Andreea ȘERBAN, 2025. "Patterns In Worldwide Literature About Green Public Procurement: Bibliometric Analysis And Knowledge Mapping," Studies in Business and Economics, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 20(3), pages 76-106, December.
    8. Pablo Ortega Carrasco & Fabio Iannone & Vera Ferrón Vílchez & Francesco Testa, 2025. "Green public procurement as an effective way for sustainable development: A systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(2), pages 2364-2391, April.
    9. Plaček, Michal & Valentinov, Vladislav & del Campo, Cristina & Vaceková, Gabriela & Ochrana, František & Šumpíková, Markéta, 2021. "Stewardship and administrative capacity in green public procurement in the Czech Republic: Evidence from a large-N survey," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 33.
    10. Michal Plaček & Cristina del Campo & Vladislav Valentinov & Gabriela Vaceková & Markéta Šumpíková & František Ochrana, 2022. "Gender Heterogeneity and Politics in Decision-Making About Green Public Procurement in the Czech Republic," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 10(3), pages 239-250.
    11. Jordi Rosell, 2023. "Green Public Procurement in Spain," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 245(1), pages 95-117, June.
    12. Plaček, Michal & Rosell, Jordi & Valentinov, Vladislav & Křápek, Milan, 2024. "Green public procurement in the most visited European museums: A comparison and a mapping," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 11, pages 1-10.

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