European Environmental policy and public procurement – connected or disconnected?

Abstract

Summary The EU environmental policy is challenged by current international development (withdrawal of the US from the Paris climate accord, melting of the Arctic, changes in climate, extreme weather events), the sustainable development policy agenda and also by public pressure. The interest of the public in the environmental policy is not only reflected in the Eurobarometer polls, the increase of green parties in 2019 EP elections, but it is also present in the very first European Citizens’ Initiative, the environmentally oriented Right2Water initiative, which had been presented to the Commission in 2013. Following the need to reflect upon the current problems and challenges, the scope of European Environmental Policy (EEP) has broadened from traditional direct environmental challenges, such as access to clean water, clean air, maintaining biodiversity also to other areas connected to current challenges as the climate change and sustainable development and into practical implementation in particular internal and external policies – including trade policy, competition policy or public procurement. Following analysis is focused on the position of the green agenda and EEP transfer to legislation in public procurement on European level.