EU criteria

The EU Commission has taken initiatives to develop proposals for environmental criteria for a number of product groups with the ambition to harmonise the procurement process practised in the EU member states to the extent possible. The Commission intends to recommend every member state to consider the suggested criteria within the framework of all countries National Action Plans for Green Public Procurement (GPP).

A first set of criteria was developed initially by a consultant as a part of a Training Toolkit for GPP to facilitate for purchasers to increase the use of environmental criteria in the procurement process. The criteria were developed following a general format accompanied with motives and background materials. The following product groups were covered:

  • Copying and graphic paper
  • IT-products
  • Cleaning products and services
  • Construction
  • Transport
  • Furniture
  • Textiles
  • Electricity
  • Food and catering services
  • Gardening products and services

The Swedish Environmental Management Council has made an analysis of the differences between Swedish criteria and the ones developed by EU, one conclusion being that it is difficult to directly make use of the EU criteria in Sweden due to a number of prerequisites that naturally differ as e.g. special national legislation, system practised specifically in Sweden, different norms and standardisation and building as well as to some extent deviate with regard to the environmental problems as such. Based on thsese findings it seems evident that the suggested EU criteria should undergo the criteria process practised in Sweden to secure the necessary national adaption and acceptance. SEMCo has suggested a plan for how to include the EU criteria into the Swedish National Action Plan for GPP.

The EU Commission has continued its work with developing proposals for common EU criteria for still another set of 10 product groups now with the help of another consultant. These criteria include:

  • Air conditioners and heat pumps
  • Boilers
  • Combined heat and power
  • Hard floor coverings
  • Mobile phones
  • Road surfacing materials and traffic signs
  • Street lighting and traffic signals
  • Thermal insulation
  • Wall panels
  • Windows

This set of purchasing criteria is currently subject for consultation. SEMCO has also for this set of EU criteria made a comparison with corresponding criteria development in Sweden. Also for this set of EU criteria there is a need for a closer examination to make them applicable for Swedish conditions. SEMCo has made a plan for the way these criteria can be included into the Swedish National Action Plan for GPP.