Green Public Procurement Criteria and Requirements

• Sanitary Tapware (2013) 
  • Technical background report
  • Other languages 
• Toilets and Urinals (2013) 
  • Technical background report
  • Other languages
• Electrical and Electronic Equipment used in the Health Care Sector (2014) [JRC assessment on need for criteria update (2022)]
  • Technical background report
  • Other languages
• Copying and graphic paper (2008) [JRC assessment on need for criteria update (2022)]
  • Technical background report
  • Other languages
  • Manual for authorities awarding public contracts, based on EU Ecolabel criteria (2021)
• Water-based Heaters (2014) [JRC assessment on need for criteria update (2022)] 
  • Technical background report
  • Other languages
• Waste Water Infrastructure (2013) [JRC assessment on need for criteria update (2022)] 
  • Technical background report

Each criteria is accompanied by a technical report prepared by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC).

While the GPP Criteria are voluntary, there are legal requirements in EU legislation that are mandatory for all public buyers:

• Clean Vehicles Directive
• Energy Efficient Directive
• Energy Performance of Buildings Directive
• Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation

Commission legislative proposals including GPP requirements:

• Batteries Regulation
• Commission proposal for a directive (recast) adopted on 14.07.2021
• Energy performance of buildings directive – revision
• Construction products regulation
• Packaging and packaging waste Regulation

The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) is leading the criteria development process based on an annual GPP work plan which is coordinated with the EU Ecolabel workplan. This work plan is adopted in consultation with the informal GPP Advisory Group (GPP AG).

To see which product groups the JRC is developing GPP criteria for, click here. 

The process to set criteria goes through the following steps:

Standard procedure for development and revision of EU GPP criteria

1. Documents to be drawn up
   1. Preliminary report
   2. Technical report
   3. EU GPP criteria 
   4. Final report
2. Criteria development process
   1. External consultation: Two working group meetings (open to all interested parties) will be held.
   2. Consultation of the GPP Advisory Group: A proposal for EU GPP Criteria will be submitted to the informal EU GPP Advisory Group for comments
   3. Adoption and publication: Following an inter-service consultation within the Commission, the EU GPP criteria and the Technical Report will be adopted and published on the EU GPP website

Shortened procedure for development and revision of EU GPP criteria

A shortened procedure can be applied

• for existing criteria: when a non-substantial revision (e.g., change of legislation or policy, new technical data, new ecolabels) is necessary;
• for the development of new criteria: when the scientific base is already well established, e.g., through existing ecolabels, eco-design requirements, best-available techniques and national GPP criteria.

Under the shortened procedure,

1. Documents to be drawn up:
   1. Technical background report.
   2. Proposal for draft EU GPP criteria must be made available for external consultation on the Commission's website for a period of two months for comments. Responses shall be given to all comments received during the external consultation period, indicating whether each comment is accepted or rejected and why. Following this, the Commission can directly go to the EU GPP Advisory Group with the proposal for EU GPP criteria and the Technical Report and seek for the opinion of the group.

Development of EU GPP criteria led by Member States or stakeholders.

The EU GPP criteria development process can also be led by Member States or stakeholders. The Member State or the stakeholder must demonstrate expertise in the product area, the ability to lead the process with neutrality and obtain the Commission's approval for EU GPP criteria development.