EcoEco--labels and Green labels and Green Public Procurement Public Procurement

A sustainable relationship A sustainable relationship

DG EnvironmentDG Environment

What = Green Public What = Green Public Procurement ?Procurement ?

Public authorities buying goods, services Public authorities buying goods, services and works with tax payerand works with tax payer’’s moneys money

Subject to Rules to ensure best value for Subject to Rules to ensure best value for money, equal treatment of bidders, money, equal treatment of bidders, transparency of specifications and criteria transparency of specifications and criteria

‘‘Best valueBest value’’ = prize, quality, aesthetic value = prize, quality, aesthetic value etc.. can also include ENVIRONMENTAL etc.. can also include ENVIRONMENTAL value value

Why Green Public Procurement?Why Green Public Procurement?

14 14 àà 16 % of EU GDP 16 % of EU GDP -- big consumersbig consumers

Set the example Set the example –– snowball effect snowball effect

Incentive for Environmental Technologies Incentive for Environmental Technologies

WinWin--wins possible : wins possible : politically => EU citizens greatly value a politically => EU citizens greatly value a healthy environment healthy environment financially (LCC approach)financially (LCC approach)

GPP at International levelGPP at International level

OECD => Recommendation of 2002OECD => Recommendation of 2002

2002 WSSD : Plan of Implementation calls 2002 WSSD : Plan of Implementation calls for Sustainable Development in for Sustainable Development in DDecisionecision--making making => => Public procurement policies that Public procurement policies that encourage environmentally sound goods and encourage environmentally sound goods and servicesservices

US, Canada, US, Canada, JapanJapan : : frontrunnersfrontrunners in GPP!in GPP!

GPP in EU ! => IPPGPP in EU ! => IPP

Communication in Communication in IntegratedIntegrated ProductProduct PolicyPolicyofof 2003 2003 focussedfocussed on on LifeLife cycle cycle approachapproachwithwith specialspecial attention for attention for marketmarket basedbased toolstools: : EcoEco--labellabel, GPP, GPP

National Action Plans on GPP by National Action Plans on GPP by endend 2006!2006!

CE CE andand MS to MS to cooperatecooperate to to furtherfurtherstrenghtenstrenghten GPPGPP

GPP GPP andand ETAPETAP

EnvironmentalEnvironmental Technologies Action plan Technologies Action plan links links sustainablesustainable consumptionconsumption andandcompetitioncompetition

GPP = GPP = prioritypriority actionaction

Report on Report on implementationimplementation ofof ETAPETAP

=> => needneed for National Action plans on GPP!for National Action plans on GPP!

How does it work?How does it work?

By By introducingintroducing environmentalenvironmental elementselements in in thethe procurementprocurement processprocess

=> => subjectsubject mattermatter i.e. i.e. woodenwooden chairs chairs fromfromsustainablysustainably harvestedharvested forestsforeststechnicaltechnical specificationsspecifications i.e. i.e. printerprinter withwith twotwo--sideside printing option printing option selectionselection criteriacriteria i.e. i.e. certificatecertificate ofof compliancecompliancewithwith environmentalenvironmental standardstandardawardaward criteriacriteria i.e. i.e. energyenergy efficiencyefficiency ofof proposedproposedbuilding building contractcontract clausesclauses i.e. transport by traini.e. transport by train

How does it work?How does it work?

Public Public procurementprocurement directives (2004/17/EC directives (2004/17/EC andand 2004/18/EC) 2004/18/EC) explicitlyexplicitly recognizerecognize allallthesethese possibilitiespossibilities for for buyingbuying «« greengreen »» ,,

subjectsubject to respect to respect ofof principlesprinciples ofof

EqualEqual treatmenttreatmentTransparencyTransparencyLinkLink betweenbetween requirementsrequirements imposedimposed uponuponbidbid(der) (der) andand subjectsubject mattermatter ofof thethe contractcontractmutualmutual recognition recognition ofof productsproducts andand services services meeting meeting equivalentequivalent standards/standards/criteriacriteria

GPP GPP andand ecoeco--labelslabels

The Public Procurement Directives (2004/17/ EC and 2004/18/EC) allow public purchasers to use the underlying specifications of eco-labels when defining performance-based or functional environmental requirements, provided that:

the specifications are appropriate for defining the characteristics of the supplies or services covered by the contract;

GPP GPP andand ecoeco--labelslabels

the requirements for the label are based on scientific information;the eco-labels are adopted with the participation of all stakeholders, such as government bodies, consumers, manufacturers, distributors and environmental organisations;they are accessible to all interested parties.

The EU Eco-label meets these requirements

GPP GPP andand ecoeco--labelslabels

UnderlyingUnderlying technicaltechnical specificationsspecifications cancan bebecutcut//pastedpasted intointo tender documentstender documents

EcoEco--labellabel cancan bebe recognisedrecognised as a (as a (nonnon--exclusiveexclusive) ) proofproof ofof compliancecompliance withwithtechnicaltechnical specificationsspecifications

i.e. : i.e. : EuropenEuropen ecoeco--labellabelmostlymostly for for productsproducts : : refrigeratorsrefrigerators, , computers, computers, paperpaper....

HowHow to do to do thisthis in practice?in practice?

The online catalogue Green Store

locates all eco-labelled products per country per category www.eco-label.comCurrently available in 11 languages250,000 hits per month

Thus, you can directly know the size of the market of potential suppliers.

SomeSome examplesexamples

EU EU ecoeco--labellabel for for light bulbs light bulbs prescribesprescribes minimum minimum lifelife--spanspan ofof 10 000 10 000 hourshours => => couldcould bebeset as a minimal set as a minimal technicaltechnicalspecificationspecification

FurtherFurther promotion promotion ofof GPPGPPandand EcoEco--labellabel

CE CE hashas publishedpublished a a HandbookHandbook on GPP on GPP --August 2004 (SEC(2004/1050)August 2004 (SEC(2004/1050)

FurtherFurther promotion promotion ofof GPPGPPandand EcoEco--labellabel

SubchapterSubchapter on on EcoEco--labellabel

TranslatedTranslated intointo allall otherother EU EU languageslanguages!!

WebsiteWebsite on GPP, on GPP, manymany usefuluseful information information andand links (links (includingincluding EcolabelEcolabel) ) http://europa.eu.int/comm/environmenhttp://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/gpp/t/gpp/

FurtherFurther promotion promotion ofof GPP GPP andand ecoeco--labellabel

AllAll training programmes training programmes –– eventsevents on GPP on GPP makemake thethe linklink betweenbetween GPP GPP andand ecoeco--labelslabels

i.e. Major i.e. Major awarenessawareness--raisingraising eventevent on GPP on GPP for new MS (for new MS (underunder TAIEX programme) on TAIEX programme) on 2929--30 30 SeptemberSeptember 05 05 –– PresentationPresentation on on ecoeco--labellabel andand itsits relation relation withwith GPP GPP

OtherOther eventsevents : : OctoberOctober 05 in London; 05 in London; AprilApril06 in Graz, 06 in Graz, AustriaAustria

FurtherFurther promotion promotion

EnvironmentalEnvironmental databasedatabase containingcontaining basic basic environmentalenvironmental information for information for somesome 100 100 productsproductsandand service groups service groups http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/gpp/guidelihttp://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/gpp/guidelines.htm#databasenes.htm#database

Basic information, Basic information, refersrefers to national to national andand European European ecoeco--labelslabels, , wherewhere theythey existexist

To To bebe complementedcomplemented withwith concreteconcrete resultsresults ofofService Service contractcontract aimedaimed atat identifyingidentifying goodgood GPP GPP practices (practices (includingincluding differentdifferent levelslevels ofofenvironmentalenvironmental performance)(in 2006) performance)(in 2006)

FurtherFurther promotion promotion

CE CE seeksseeks to help MS to set to help MS to set upup Action Plans Action Plans for GPP, for GPP, forfor firstfirst timetime by by endend 20062006

Action plans Action plans shouldshould bebe basedbased on on assessmentassessment ofof currentcurrent situation, set situation, set ambitiousambitious objectives for situation in 3 objectives for situation in 3 yearsyearstimetime andand state state measuresmeasures takentaken to to achieveachievethosethose targetstargets

EcoEco--labelslabels are are promotedpromoted as an as an easyeasyinstrument for instrument for implementingimplementing GPP GPP andandachievingachieving thosethose targetstargets

FurtherFurther promotion promotion

CE CE hashas concludedconcluded a a contractcontract to to

SurveySurvey actualactual situation on GPP in situation on GPP in allall 25 MS25 MS

FirstFirst resultsresults atat eventevent in London 27in London 27--28 28 OctoberOctober

CommunicateCommunicate goodgood practices practices atat eventevent in in AustriaAustriaon 3on 3--4 4 AprilApril 20062006

GoodGood practices practices shouldshould includeinclude concreteconcreteexamplesexamples ofof «« ecoeco--labellabel »» specificationsspecifications usedused in in tender tender proceduresprocedures

FurtherFurther promotion promotion ofof GPPGPP

CE CE isis workingworking togethertogether withwith MemberMember State State representativesrepresentatives to to fosterfoster GPP GPP andand ecoeco--labellabelpoliciespolicies

AdvisoryAdvisory CommitteeCommittee on Public on Public ProcurementProcurementETAP ETAP workingworking groupgroupIPP IPP workingworking groupgroupEcoEco--labellabel workingworking groupsgroups

FurtherFurther promotion promotion ofof GPPGPP

ThroughThrough networkingnetworking withwith manymany European European andandnational associations national associations ofof local local andand regionalregionalauthoritiesauthorities

EurocitiesEurocities, , EICEIC’’ss (Euro Info Centres)(Euro Info Centres)ICLEI (Local ICLEI (Local GovernmentsGovernments for for SustainabilitySustainability) ) ACRR (Association ACRR (Association ofof CitiesCities andand RegionsRegions for for RecyclingRecycling))CEMR (CEMR (CouncilCouncil ofof European European MunicipalitiesMunicipalities andandRegionsRegions) ) OthersOthers => => BalticBaltic seasea group, group, «« PartnersPartners on on InnovationInnovation »», , «« RegionsRegions for Changefor Change »», , «« NetworkingNetworking for for LisbonLisbon »»,, «« Green innovation in Green innovation in ActionAction »» ....

FurtherFurther promotion promotion ofof GPPGPP

ThroughThrough distribution distribution ofof leafletsleaflets

«« Green Green ProcurementProcurement isis easyeasy withwith thethe FlowerFlower »»

EcoEco--labellabel brochures for brochures for consumersconsumers

i.e. brochure on office i.e. brochure on office equipmentequipment andand supplies supplies

FurtherFurther promotion promotion ofof GPPGPP

IdeaIdea for future = to for future = to makemake availableavailable easilyeasilyunderstandableunderstandable information on information on lifelife cycle cycle costcost ofof productsproducts

If public If public purchaserspurchasers includeinclude notnot onlyonly upup--frontfront marketmarket priceprice but but alsoalso wholewhole lifelife costscostsin in awardaward criteriacriteria, , theythey willwill notice notice thatthat buyingbuyinggreen green maymay actuallyactually alsoalso savesave moneymoney!!

EcoEco--labellabel criteriacriteria couldcould possiblypossibly includeinclude lifelifecycle cycle costcost elementselements? ?

addressesaddresses

European CommissionEuropean CommissionEnvironmentEnvironment DirectorateDirectorate--GeneralGeneralDirectorateDirectorate G G –– SustainableSustainable developmentdevelopment andandintegrationintegration1049 Brussels1049 BrusselsBelgiumBelgium

mailtomailto:jill.michielssen@:jill.michielssen@cec.eu.intcec.eu.int

http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/gpp/http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/gpp/