On Tuesday, February 25, 2025, the professional conference "Practical steps in green public procurement" was held in Zagreb's Hotel International, organized by the Association of Cities in the Republic of Croatia, EU PROJEKTI University and AVELANT d.o.o.. The conference gathered representatives of local self-government units, the private sector and experts in the field of public procurement to discuss the challenges, regulatory frameworks and best practices of sustainable procurement.
In the second part of the conference, participants gained concrete knowledge about planning and implementing green public procurement through practical workshops.
The first module covered the legal framework and strategic goals, with an emphasis on EU and Croatian regulations and the importance of integrating sustainability into procurement procedures. In the second module, the green criteria in the tender documentation, the assessment of the product life cycle and the economic aspects of green procurement are dealt with.
The third module focused on case studies from Croatia and the EU, analyzing successful examples and implementation challenges, while the fourth module was dedicated to green public procurement planning and implementation, including strategy development and linking procurement to organizational goals.
Through interactive exercises and discussions, the participants received concrete tools and guidelines for the successful application of sustainable procurement processes in their institutions.
The participants of the conference agreed that the successful implementation of green public procurement requires:
● Improve the legal and regulatory framework – reduce administrative barriers and provide clearer guidelines.
● Provide financial incentives – reduction of initial costs for green products and services.
● Increase the availability of certified products - market development of sustainable products and services.
● Strengthen the education and cooperation of stakeholders - continuous education of clients and bidders.
The conference "Practical steps in green public procurement" once again confirmed that green procurement has a future, but also that for its successful implementation it is crucial to ensure stronger political support, clearer financial mechanisms and a strategic approach. Sustainable procurement processes bring long-term benefits to the economy, society and the environment, and it is precisely meetings like this that enable quality dialogue and exchange of knowledge between key stakeholders.
We would like to thank all the participants, lecturers and partners who contributed to the success of the conference with their knowledge and experience. We look forward to continued cooperation and joint work on improving sustainable public procurement in Croatia.
