21 December 2021

Greece puts GPP plans into concrete action

Even though a systematic monitoring system for ‘green’ tenders is not yet available in Greece, Greek public procurers increasingly make use of green principles to cover their needs. In an interview with Green Public Procurement (GPP), Dr. Anastasia Zacharopoulou, working for the Greek General Directorate for Public Procurement (GDPP), discusses how geen public procurement is increasings its footprint in the country.

Zacharopoulou notes that much is happening on the local level. “At least 20 municipalities have, since 2018, substituted existing road/street lighting with LED lamps. Some of them used a life cycle costing tool as an award criterion. In addition, the Municipality of Trikala (in 2020) had a successful green procurement procedure for the supply of energy, where it asked for 50% of the energy provided to come from renewable energy sources (RES).”

Zacharopoulou further emphasises the formal cooperation established between the country’s central purchasing body and its universities. In this context, “informative online events were successfully held in June 2021 on GPP and on innovation procurement, aimed at broader synergies between the CPB and the academic and research community. Some Greek universities are making remarkable efforts in this field, such as the work from the Agricultural University of Athens (AUA). Implementing sustainable procurement across the institution is a major strategic goal for the AUA as it enables it to incorporate the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals into the University’s operations, as well as into research and education. Ecological provisions are considered in contracts, energy efficient systems are used in buildings’ renovations and lighting. Moreover, a 100% replacement, with use of natural gas over diesel has taken place for heating.”

Beyond being the Greek central pruchasing body, the GDPP is also the coordinator of the National Strategy for Public Procurement and the national competence center for innovation procurement. The GDPP also sets mandatory and non-mandatory goals for contracting authorities for 15 product, services and works categories. To find out more about the tasks of the GDPP, its plans for 2022 and the progress of green and innovation procurement in Greece, read the full interview with Dr. Anastasia Zacharopoulou here.