1 the use of the european eco- label in green public procurement approaches european commission –...

1

The use of the European Eco-label in Green Public

Procurement approaches

European Commission – DG EnvironmentWith the support of GPP expert from BIO Intelligence Service

September 2005

2

EU Eco-label and GPP

Why is it worth doing green public procurement (GPP)?

Why is it easy to do it with the EU Eco-label? Practically, how can a purchaser use the EU Eco-

label in a call for tender? Success stories

3

Introduction: increase of environmental damage and influence of products

Our production, purchasing and consumption modes lead to an increase in environmental damage.

Two examples:

1960 1975 1980 1985 1995 1998

220

272289

343362

424438 450

199319891960 1975 1980 1985 1995 1998

220

272289

343362

424438 450

19931989

Evolution of the production of household waste in France (kg/inhab/yr)

26 %déplacementdes personnes

15 %chauffage des

logements

7 %eau chaude, électricitédomestique (hors chauffage)

52 %PRODUITS (fabricationet mise à dispositiondes biens et services)


15 %chauffage des

logements



15 %chauffage des

logements




Repartition of greenhouse gases emissions in France from different economic sectorsSource : ADEME 2003

Source : ADEME 2003

Household heating

Hot water, domestic electricity (excl. space heating)

Transport of persons PRODUCTS: production of

goods and services at disposal

4

What is Green Public Procurement ?

Basing all purchasing decisions and allocation of contracts on environmental criteria along with

other criteria such as price and quality

5

What is the importance and the role of public procurement ?

Public procurement represents 16% of EU’s GDP – over 1 000 billion Euro Public procurement plays an important role in the

development of the market of products with reduced environmental impacts

Public authorities have to set the example in this field

Publicly purchased items come from every sector of the economy “From pencils to power stations”

6

How do Public Procurement Directives allow to take environmental considerations into account

in call for tenders ?

In March 2004, the Council and the European Parliament adopted new public procurement directives clarifying how environmental considerations could be integrated in the call for tenders.

Public purchasers can take into account these environmental elements when buying products, services or works.

Generally speaking, environmental considerations can be placed at the following stages of a call for tenders procedure: Definition of the subject of the contract Technical specifications Selection of the candidates Award of the contract Execution of the contract

(more information on http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/green_purchasing/html/general/overview_en.cfm)

7

The easiest way to do Green Public Procurement: use the European Eco-label

The EU Eco-label is an official label managed by the European Commission which certifies that a product or service is of good environmental quality and guaranteed technical performance

An eco-labelled product generates less environmental impacts on air, water, soil and human health

Throughout its life cycle, from raw material extraction to end of life (“from cradle to grave”)

Added value: usage cost generally lower than average

Example: life cycle of a detergent

8

What could be the environmental benefits linked to the development of EU

Eco-labelled products ?

With only a modest 5% market share for EU Eco-labelled products in the European Union, the savings compared to typically performing versions (standard product) would be substantial :

Source: « The Direct and Indirect benefits of the Eco-label », AEAT in Confidence, 2004

RESOURCE SAVED /AVOIDED PER YEAR Amount saved per year

• Electricity 14,700,000 kWh

• CO2 produced from energy use 9,318,000 tonnes CO2

• Water use 12,285,000 million litres

• Reduced use of hazardous substances 13,800 tonnes

• Material savings (other than hazardous substances) 530,700 tonnes

• Reduced discharges to water 30,400 tonnes COD

• Reduced air pollution 17,500 tonnes pollutants

9

The EU Eco-label can be used to do green public procurement

Examples of successful call for tenders: “Communauté urbaine de Dunkerque”, France: use of

some EU Eco-label criteria in a call for tender of all-purpose cleaners for the cleaning of public premises

City of Angers, France: progressive use of the whole set of EU Eco-label criteria for all-purpose cleaners in a 3-year period of call for tenders for the cleaning of public premises

French green building programme “HQE” recommends the use of eco-labelled paints and varnishes for new public buildings

…

10

What is the size of the market of European Eco-labelled products

European Eco-Label 260 holders as of September 2005 About 2 500 articles split in 23 product groups

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

Number of companies

Millions of articles/items sold

11

What are the advantages of using the EU Eco-label in GPP approaches? (1/3)

You do not have to be an expert in environmental issues to do green purchasing

The EU Eco-label is an official European recognition of the ecological quality of a product

The requirements for the award of the EU Eco-label relate to both technical performance and environmental characteristics of the product

The EU Eco-label covers 23 product and service groups, including products bought by public purchasers; cleaning products, office equipment, DIY, tourist accommodations…

European consensus on the scientific reliability of the criteria

12


You are sure of using a scheme that is fully compatible with the Internal Market Principles

The European Eco-label scheme is Public, transparent and non discriminatory Valid and identical throughout the European Union and

EEA countries Open to overseas products (guarantee to offer equal

opportunities to all competitors)

13


You directly know the minimum number of companies capable of meeting your requirements.

On the Green Store : www.eco-label.com

http://www.eco-label.com/

14

Practically, how can the European Eco-label criteria can be used in a public call for

tenders ? (1/2)

In the elaboration of the technical specifications In order to define the characteristics of the products or

service considered, you can directly cut and paste the relevant EU Eco-label

criteria into the technical specifications

The EU Eco-label will be allowed as a way of proving compliance with the specifications.

Remark: Contracting authorities cannot require tenderers to be registered under a certain eco-label scheme.

15


tenders ? (1/2)

Use of variants: In order to have more flexibility, use variants when drafting the

technical specifications, e.g.:• Variant 1: no environmental specification

• Variant 2: some EU Eco-label criteria

• Variant 3: all EU Eco-label criteria

At the end of the call for tenders, the choice between standard solutions and variants, between different variants and within a given category of offers (e.g. within a given variant) must be made in accordance with your award criteria (obligatorily the most economically advantageous of the offers).

16

Example: call for tenders of all-purpose cleaners

Go to the all-purpose cleaners page of the Eco-label web site: www.europa.eu.int/ecolabel

http://www.europa.eu.int/ecolabel

A summary of the criteria can be found in the general description of the product group

The complete criteria are available in all the EU languages

18


tenders ? (2/2)

The EU Eco-label can be used as a benchmark against which to assess offers at the award stage.

Example: call for tenders of light bulbs

The EU eco-label criteria for light bulbs require that they should have an average life-span of 10 000 hours. When reflecting this in a call for tender for light bulbs, 10 000 hours could be set as the technical specification for the minimum life span, and a bonus point could be given in the award criteria for every 1000 hours over and above 10 000.

19

Success stories

« Communauté urbaine de Dunkerque », France City of Angers, France

20

« Communauté urbaine de Dunkerque », France

Profile of the Communauté Urbaine de Dunkerque

Group of 18 municipalities 212 241 inhabitants Number of employees : 1 319 agents

21


Internal organisation Political act

• adoption of a ‘délibération’ relative to sustainable development in public procurement

General approach

Categories of products concerned by GPP:• Paper, cleaning products, electronic appliances, light bulbs and

phytosanitary products

Demand of the purchasing department

Research of environmental

issues

Research of ecological

alternatives Study of the offer

Setting of the market in function of the offer

22


Example of a tender of cleaning products

Reasons for choosing this product category: Test tender (all purpose cleaners, window cleaners…) Existence of ecological criteria

Identified environmental issues Limitation of water pollution

Characteristics inserted in the technical specifications: High biodegradability rate Natural substances Limitation of the use of hazardous substances for the environment and

health (based on the DID-list)

23


Example of a call for tender of cleaning products

Used reference European Eco-label (some criteria)

Demand of samples to test the efficiency of the products Results

Necessity to divide the tender into lots, to ensure SMEs will answer No over-cost Very positive feedback from employees: efficiency and lack of

respiratory and skin irritations

24

City of Angers, France

Profile of the city of Angers 157 000 inhabitants Number of employees : 2750 agents Global budget of the city : 250 million euros Green Procurement, as part of the Agenda 21, is

managed by the Directorate General, in partnership with the Sustainable Development department, the Public Procurement department and purchasing directorates.

25


Internal organisation Creation of working groups on every topic General methodology

Categories of products concerned by GPP: School furniture, cleaning products, cleaning of public premises, textiles, school

supply, coffee, paper

Needs analysis

Research of corresponding

environmental issues

Study of the offer and discussion with

suppliers Analysis of financial

equilibrium

Analysis of suppliers’ potential progresses

26


Example of a call for tender for cleaning services

Reasons for choosing this product category• Important consumption• Existence of environmental criteria

Identified environmental issues Mainly linked to the use of cleaning products:

• Limitation of the use of hazardous substances for the environment and health

• Limitation of water pollution• Reduction of packaging waste

27


Example of a call for tender of cleaning products

Characteristics• Use of products complying with the EU Eco-label criteria

Example of reference used• EU Eco-label

Results The call for tender was fruitful. Progressive approach (3-year call for tender):

• Year 1: no ecological specification

• Year 2: use of 1 product complying with all EU Eco-label criteria

• Year 3: use of 2 products complying with all EU Eco-label criteria

28

Conclusion

Public purchasers become actors of Sustainable Development.

It is possible to do Green Public Procurement thanks to the revised European Procurement Directives.

The European Eco-label makes it easy to implement GPP in a practical way.

The Success Stories demonstrate it is possible to use the EU Eco-label to do GPP.

1 the use of the european eco- label in green public procurement approaches european commission –...

Documents

eu eco label

european eco label

set of eu ecolabel criteria

green public procurement

official label

role of public procurement

euro public procurement

environmental criteria