European Parliament's briefing on EU’s Public Procurement Framework published

Article summary

The European Parliament's Policy Department for Economic, Scientific and Quality of Life Policies (IPOL) has published a document regarding the contribution of the EU’s Public Procurement Framework to the achievements of the objectives of the Paris Agreement and the Circular Economy Strategy. The report highlights barriers to green public procurement as well as some of the solutions, including actions proposed in European Commission's 'Circular Economy Action Plan for a cleaner and more competitive Europe', adopted in March 2020. IPOL recommends setting 'ambitious but realistic strategic procurement targets', supported by more professionalised public procurement authorities, central purchasing bodies, national competence centres and supplier networks to facilitate SME access. The report also recommends better investment in procurement professionalisation, training, IT and e-procurement to mainstream strategic public procurement, in particular green public procurement.