Reform options for the EU public procurement directive

The report identifies that the current EU public procurement framework is fragmented and voluntary, leading to missed opportunities for emissions reductions despite nearly EUR 2 trillion in annual public spending. It proposes a roadmap for the European Commission to revise the directives, specifically recommending a 'comply-or-explain' approach to make green public procurement the default, tying 'Buy European' preferences to environmental performance, and simplifying legal requirements to reduce uncertainty for buyers.

• The current EU public procurement framework is insufficient because green public procurement (GPP) remains voluntary, resulting in uneven implementation, fragmented rules, and a tendency to award contracts based on the lowest price rather than environmental criteria.
• Public authorities in the European Union spend nearly EUR 2 trillion annually, representing a significant but underutilized lever for achieving climate and circularity objectives.
• The report proposes several specific reform options: implementing a 'comply-or-explain' approach to make GPP the default, linking European preference rules to environmental performance, harmonizing procurement rules, and improving data systems and professional skills for contracting authorities.

APA

Casier,, R. B. E. (2025). Reform options for the EU public procurement directive. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/reform-options-eu-public-procurement

Chicago

Casier,, Ronja Bechauf,Sharmila Erizaputri,Liesbeth. Reform options for the EU public procurement directive. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2025. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/reform-options-eu-public-procurement.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Casier, |first1=Ronja Bechauf,Sharmila Erizaputri,Liesbeth |title=Reform options for the EU public procurement directive |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=28 November 2025 |url=https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/reform-options-eu-public-procurement |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{casier2025reform, author = {Casier,, Ronja Bechauf,Sharmila Erizaputri,Liesbeth}, title = {{Reform options for the EU public procurement directive}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2025}, month = nov, url = {https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/reform-options-eu-public-procurement}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }