About the project
Slovakia is one of the first Central European countries adopting an act on public procurement with its 2006 law establishing a regulatory framework in line with EU guidelines. Slovakia is further characterized by its relatively centralized procurement system. The 2014 Procurement Directives enable public authorities to take environmental considerations into account. This applies during pre-procurement, as part of the procurement process itself, and in the performance of the contract. Rules regarding exclusion and selection aim to ensure a minimum level of compliance with environmental law by contractors and sub-contractors. Techniques such as life-cycle costing, specification of sustainable production processes, and use of environmental award criteria are available to help contracting authorities identify environmentally preferable bids.
Public authorities are major consumers. By using their purchasing power to choose goods and services with lower impacts on the environment, they can make an important contribution to sustainable consumption and production.
Green purchasing is also about influencing the market. By promoting and using GPP, public authorities can provide industry with real incentives for developing green technologies and products. In some sectors, public purchasers command a significant share of the market (e.g. public transport and construction, health services and education) and so their decisions have considerable impact.
GPP may also provide financial savings for public authorities – especially if you consider the full life-cycle costs of a contract and not just the purchase price. Purchasing energy-efficient or water-saving products for example, can help to significantly reduce utility bills. Reducing hazardous substances in products can cut disposal costs. Authorities who implement GPP will be better equipped to meet evolving environmental challenges, for example to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or move towards a more circular economy.