On 28 December 2015, the law in order to promote environmental measures of green economy and containment of excessive use of natural resources was adopted in Italy.
This fact means a mandatory requirements for all Italian public entities to include minimum environmental criteria (MEC) in their public procurement actions (through article 18 of the law).
The law entered into force on 2 February 2016, and the MEC are provided as part of the Italian GPP National Action Plan, established in 2008 throught by with the Law n. 296/2006 art. 1 paragraph 1126, and the Minister of Environment and Territory and Sea with DM 11 April 2008 (OJ no. 107 of 8 May 2008), in consultation with the Ministers of Economy and Finance and Economic Development.
These cover the 16 product and service areas most relevant for public procurement in Italy, and are mandatory for all procurement done of goods, services and works with requirements for energy efficiency (in the end-use).
Moreover, 50% of the contract value for the other product and service categories must be greened.
The Green Public Procurement, GPP, is defined in the Communication (COM (2008) 400) “Public procurement for a better environment” as “a process whereby public authorities seek to procure goods, services and works with a reduced environmental impact throughout their life cycle when compared to goods, services and works with the same primary function that would otherwise be procured.”
GPP is a voluntary instrument, which means that Member States and public authorities can determine the extent to which they implement it.
Links
- More information about Italian GPP National Action Plan
- More information about the Green Public Procurement