MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – A Competitiveness Compass for the EU – the Commission’s plans for public procurement – E-000697/2025(ASW)

The Commission promotes a best price-quality approach to public purchases which takes into account the environmental impact and externalities of the purchase.

Procuring green products at a reasonable price means creating added value for the community by reducing environmental impact. It promotes the competitiveness of EU businesses, which are often leaders in sustainable solutions.

A broad array of recent EU legislation already makes certain forms of green public procurement (GPP) mandatory or lays the basis for the EU to adopt minimum harmonised GPP requirements, taking into account several elements including their economic feasibility.

This is the case, for instance, for the Clean Vehicles Directive[1] (setting Member States targets for the purchase of low-emission vehicles), the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation[2] (regulating how product specific GPP requirements will be adopted at EU level), or the Energy Efficiency Directive[3] (requiring the application of the energy efficiency first principle to all procurements).

In view of the upcoming public procurement reform, the Commission will reflect on how to clarify, simplify and mainstream the use of sustainability requirements.

• [1] Directive (EU) 2019/1161 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 amending Directive 2009/33/EC on the promotion of clean and energy-efficient road transport vehicles.
• [2] Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 establishing a framework for the setting of ecodesign requirements for sustainable products, amending Directive (EU) 2020/1828 and Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 and repealing Directive 2009/125/EC.
• [3] Directive (EU) 2023/1791 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 September 2023 on energy efficiency and amending Regulation (EU) 2023/955 (recast).