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NEW PRACTICAL GUIDES ON EU ECOLABELS IN GREEN PUBLIC PROCUREMENT
September 1, 2025
NEW PRACTICAL GUIDES ON EU ECOLABELS IN GREEN PUBLIC PROCUREMENT
The European Commission has published two new practical guides highlighting how EU Ecolabels can be used for the public procurement of respectively graphic paper and tissue paper and paper products. For both product groups, the guides identify the most relevant EU Ecolabel criteria that can be used when drafting technical specifications and award criteria.
The EU Ecolabel is the official EU voluntary label for environmental excellence and features over 102.000 certified products in 25 different categories. The EU ecolabel criteria are scientifically based, legally established and third-party verified. The criteria, developed through extensive research and stakeholder consultation are regularly updated to adjust to evolving environmental priorities and technological advancements. All EU Ecolabel certified products can be found in the ECAT catalogue.
Public buyers seeking to buy green can require goods and/or services to EU Ecolabel certified, or they can reference identified EU ecolabel criteria in the technical specifications and/or award criteria. Both options reduce administrative verification efforts, and lead to the purchase of products that meet strict environmental standards, without compromising on performance. EU Ecolabels also offer public procurers economic benefits, as they offering access to competitively priced goods and services, while helping contracting authorities to meet sustainability objectives without compromising on quality and on value for money.
Some public administrations, such as the Government of Flanders and the Slovenian Ministry of Public Administration have already used the EU ecolabels successfully in their tenders. More information about them can be found in an article written for the GPP Helpdesk. In addition, interested stakeholders can join the 10 October webinar, highlighting key insights on the use of EU ecolabels as well as some best practices. Register here for the webinar!
Learn more at ICLEI Sustainable procurement platform webpage.
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