Sustainability Goals and the EU Policy on Public Contracts

The EU policy on public contracts prioritises sustainability by encouraging the integration of environmental and social considerations throughout the procurement process. This is achieved through various mechanisms, including the use of “green” public procurement (GPP) criteria (such as energy efficiency and the use of recycled materials), promoting fair trade certified products and incorporating life-cycle costing to assess the total costs associated with a product or service throughout its life cycle. According to the directives on public contracts, contracting authorities can use GPP criteria as technical specifications, award criteria, and contract performance conditions. The use of more sustainable products in public contracts is an efficient tool for reaching the objectives of the European Green Deal, such as climate neutrality, energy and resources efficiency, and transition to the circular economy. Different sectoral regulations not only encourage but also mandate minimum “green” requirements in the field of public procurement, which could ensure a level playing field and the resilience of the internal market. Μinimum mandatory green public procurement requirements could ensure more legal certainty and the leverage of public spending to boost demand for better-performing products.