European Commission, TAIEX/DG Environment

Networking for responsible public procurement – the experience of EUROCITIES

Dag Nordby, City of OsloChair

EUROCITIES Working Group on Responsible Consumption

Buying Green Training Seminar

What is EUROCITIES?

• Established in 1986, EUROCITIES is a network of 121 major cities in 32 European countries

• Membership of EUROCITIES is open to the

elected governments of large European cities (>250.000 inhabitants)

• EUROCITIES activities:– Networking: Sharing and improving knowledge– Lobbying: Developing and influencing policies– Campaigning : Raising public awareness

Responsible procurement in EUROCITIES members

• Buying organic milk for school canteens or clean vehicles for the municipal fleet

• Developing a catalogue of environmental criteria for standard purchases of office equipment, stationery, cleaning products, lighting devices

• Using fair trade coffee, sweets and other products at receptions, traditional festivals, official presents from the city

• Matching unemployed people with the work to be done for public construction works or cleaning services for the local authority

• Combating black labour and child labour in suppliers‘ companies

• Making sure public contracts are delivered under non-discriminatory conditions

Networking for Responsible Procurement in EUROCITIES

• Economic Development Forum– Working Group Responsible Consumption– CARPE Project

• Environment Forum– Working Group Greening the Local Economy

• Social Affairs Forum– BUILD-FOR-ALL project

Example: The CARPE Project: Cities As Responsible Purchasers in Europe

• CARPE Guide to Responsible Procurement - Reasons, procurement practices, legal framework- Detailed implementation avenues for 6 strategies- Organising responsible procurement

- en-fr-es-de-sv

• CARPE Case Studies- 20 practice examples- Standardised presentation

• CARPE-Net web site http://www.carpe-net.org

Why responsible procurement?

• Use the market power of public spending to make an impact

• Support social responsibility and environmental innovation in the private sector

• Make best value purchasing decisions

• Be a model consumer for your citizens

Why cities?

• Cities are active participants in the market and manage a large share of public purchasing (more than 50% of procurement expenditure spent at subcentral levels of goverment!)

• Cities are more flexible

• Cities are willing to pioneer

• Cities are the level of government closest to the individual citizens

Concerted demand for „responsible“ products and services can have a significant impact on the market and send strong signals to the public

Multiple layers of networking

• Networking with other cities- Exchange between peers (following slides)

• Networking locally on implementation of responsible purchasing policies- Cooperation required across municipal departments- Responsible procurement as vehicle for initiating/improving cooperation

• Networking with technical experts on responsible standards and correct procedures- Researchers- NGOs- Legal experts

• Networking with suppliers- Ensuring availability

The importance of networking I

Networking is a crucial success factor for current achievements.

• As pioneers of responsible procurement, cities rely/ied extensively on mutual support:

– Exchange of technical expertise on procedures and criteria.

– Learning from each others‘ experiences

– Learning from doing things differently

– Joint testing of solutions in pilot projects

– Identification of common success factors (prioritisation, clear objectives, transparent procedures)

The importance of networking II

Networking increases the impact of responsible procurement.

• Concentrating efforts from cities across Europe in common initiatives can boost responsible consumption. • Continued exchange between experts can help to identify further opportunities for responsible procurement.

• Speaking with a common voice increases ability to effectively lobby policy-makers

The importance of networking III

Networking helps to meet the challenges of responsible procurement. • Raising a city‘s profile on responsible procurement on a European level can help build political support at home (defend higher initial costs and long-term/non-financial benefits)

• Joint market research and exchange with suppliers helps to ensure the market can supply according to innovative standards

• Cooperation provides resources & expertise to develop further tools for monitoring/evaluating costs & benefits (e.g. in projects co-funded by the European Commission)

Thank you for your attention!

Contacts: Working Group Responsible Consumption

Dag Nordby dag.nordby@radhuset.oslo.kommune.no

EUROCITIES SecretariatSilke Moschitz

s.moschitz@eurocities.be