EN    EN EN 
 
EN    EN  COMMISSION OF THE E UROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 16.7.2008 
SEC(2008) 2126 
  
COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 
accompanying the  
 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE CO MMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMI TTEE OF THE REGIONS 
 
Public procurement for a better environment  
  
{COM(2008) 400 final} 
{SEC(2008) 2124} {SEC(2008) 2125}  
 
EN 2   EN TABLE OF CONTENTS 
COMMISSION STAFF WORKI NG DOCUMENT Accompanying document to the 
Communication from the Commission ........................................................................................  
Introduction ................................................................................................................... ............. 4 
1. Legal guidance ............................................................................................................. 4  
1.1. Production process related criteria............................................................................... 4 1.2. Verification of compliance w ith environmental criteria .............................................. 5 
1.3. Verification of the capacity to execute a c ontract with environmental considerations 5 
1.4. Formulating an environmental award criter ion in the absence of specific GPP criteria
............................................................................................................................... ....... 6 
1.5. Contract performance clause requiring th e contractor to set up an environmental 
management system during the performance of the contract....................................... 7 
2. The specific case of wood and wood products............................................................. 7 3. Operational Guidance: Tools for improvi ng procurement practices and stimulating 
GPP ............................................................................................................................ .. 9 
3.1. Life cycle costing and GPP.......................................................................................... 9 3.2. Environmental management and GPP ....................................................................... 10 3.3. Joint procurement....................................................................................................... 11  
3.4. GPP and innovation.................................................................................................... 11 3.5. Performance contracting ............................................................................................ 12 3.6. Green public private partnerships .............................................................................. 12 4. Examples of Green tender specifications for cleaning products and services, paper, 
electricity and food and catering services .................................................................. 14 
4.1. Cleaning products and services.................................................................................. 14 4.1.1. Scope................................................................................................................... ....... 14 
4.1.2. Key environmental impacts........................................................................................ 15 4.1.3. GPP criteria for cleaning products ............................................................................. 16 4.1.3.1. Core criteria......................................................................................................... ....... 16 
4.1.3.2. Comprehensive criteria .............................................................................................. 20  
4.1.4. GPP criteria for cleaning services.............................................................................. 21 4.1.4.1. Core GPP criteria ..................................................................................................... .. 21 
4.1.4.2. Comprehensive GPP criteria...................................................................................... 21 4.2. Copying and graphic paper ........................................................................................ 23 
4.2.1. Scope................................................................................................................... ....... 23 
4.2.2. Key environmental impacts........................................................................................ 24 4.2.3. GPP criteria for recycled paper.................................................................................. 24 
 
EN 3   EN 4.2.3.1. Core criteria – recycled option................................................................................... 24 
4.2.3.2. Comprehensive criteria – recycled option.................................................................. 25 4.2.4. GPP criteria for paper made from lega l and/or sustainable virgin fibres................... 26 
4.2.4.1. Core criteria – legal and/or  sustainable virgin fibres ................................................. 26 
4.2.4.2. Comprehensive criteria – sustainable a nd/or legal virgin fibres option..................... 28 
4.3. Electricity ............................................................................................................... .... 29 
4.3.1. Scope................................................................................................................... ....... 29 
4.3.2. Key environmental impacts........................................................................................ 30 4.3.3. GPP criteria for "green" electricity ............................................................................ 30 4.3.3.1. Core criteria – Electricity........................................................................................... 30 
4.3.3.2. Comprehensive criteria – Electricity.......................................................................... 31 4.4. Food and catering services......................................................................................... 32 4.4.1. Scope................................................................................................................... ....... 32 
4.4.2. Key environmental impacts........................................................................................ 33 4.4.3. Food – GPP criteria.................................................................................................... 3 4 
4.4.3.1. Core criteria – Food .................................................................................................. . 34 
4.4.3.2. Comprehensive criteria – food................................................................................... 35 
4.4.4. Catering services – GPP criteria ................................................................................ 36 
4.4.4.1. Core criteria – Catering services................................................................................ 36 4.4.4.2. Comprehensive criteria – Catering services............................................................... 38 
 
EN 4   EN INTRODUCTION  
The Commission Communication: "An Action Plan for more and better Green public 
procurement in the EU: a cost-effective way to reduce the environmental impact of public expenditure and stimulate eco-i nnovation" sets the baseline fo r renewed EU wide action on 
Green public procurement (GPP) and refers to a series of actions to be taken by both the 
Commission and the Member States to ensure  an EU wide harmonised uptake of GPP and 
radically increase the qualit y and quantity of GPP.  
The Communication addresses general policy i ssues, establishing objectives and setting 
targets, indicators and monitoring mechanisms , calling for co-operation with the Member 
States to endorse common GPP criteria which ha ve already been established, as well as to 
establish new common GPP criteria, and to increas ed efforts in the field of awareness raising 
and dissemination of GPP training through exis ting regional and loca l networks, linking the 
use of GPP with the implementa tion of EU funding mechanisms. 
Its chapter 4 describes a proce ss of co-operation with the Me mber States to identify and 
endorse useful common GPP crite ria and refers, by way of exam ple, to already established 
common GPP criteria for 4 produ ct groups. Its chapter 7 refers  to operational and legal 
guidance. This operational and legal guidance a nd the examples of environmental criteria are 
aimed at contracting au thorities who wish to apply GPP policies within their organisation. 
They could be used as building blocks for national GPP policies. As such, they are included in a separate Commission Staff working doc ument, accompanying the Communication.  
1. L
EGAL GUIDANCE  
1.1. Production process related criteria  
The principles of transparency and equal trea tment of bidders, best value for money and the 
free movement of goods and services form the basis of the Public procurement Directives1. 
The technical specifications by which contracti ng authorities define th e subject matter of the 
contract, and the award criteria on the basis of which they compar e offers in view of choosing 
the bid offering best value for money, have to characterise and be relevant for the product, 
service or work subjec t of the purchase.  
Taking a life cycle approach, pr oduction process related criteria  contribute to characterising 
the product or service purchased. In the case of paper for instance, an important 
environmental impact occurs during the productio n phase, through emissions to air and water. 
The EU eco-label for paper therefore include s certain limitations to these emissions. 
All production process related criteria (of ec o-labelling schemes for instance) can be 
considered as appropriate for defining a product  in a tendering procedure, provided that the 
conditions laid down hereunder are satisfied, wh ereas all general environmental management 
                                                 
1 The new European legal framework for public procurement, Directives 2004/17/EC of the European 
Parliament and of the Council of 31 March 2004 coordinating the procurement procedures of entities 
operating in the water, energy, transport and postal se rvices sectors and Direc tive 2004/18/EC 18 of the 
European Parliament and of the Council of 31 March 2004 on the coordination of procedures for the 
award of public works contracts, public supply contracts and public service contracts, have clarified how public purchasers can include environmental considerations into their procurement procedures. A 
Handbook on environmental public procurement, adopted August 2004, provides additional guidance 
(http://ec.europa.eu/environment/gpp/guideline_en.htm
). 
 
EN 5   EN measures under such schemes should not be incl uded as technical specifications or award 
criteria. Production related cr iteria should ensure that:  
(1) the criteria, as well as the way in whic h they are being applied, are compliant 
with community law, in particular  with the principles regarding non-
discrimination and equal treatment; this  implies, amongst other things, that 
the criteria have to be measurable/verif iable so as to treat bidders (economic 
operators) in the same way and allow ef fective verification of bids against 
tender documents; 
(2) the criteria concern the production of th e products which are to be supplied to 
the purchasing authority. 
1.2. Verification of compliance with environmental criteria 
When formulating environmental technical speci fications or award cr iteria, one can also 
specify the relevant test methods and confor mity assessment procedures which should allow 
for the verification of claims by suppliers re garding compliance with certain environmental 
requirements as stipulated. Considering the complex and detailed character of certain 
environmental criteria, the assessment and veri fication requirements may include testing by 
independent laboratories.  
If the specifications are based on eco-label criteria, th e relevant eco-label shall be recognized 
as proof of compliance. However, other t ypes of proof should also be accepted by the 
contracting authority. It is up to  the tenderer to prove by whatever  appropriate means, that the 
proposed solutions satisfy in an equivale nt manner the environmental criteria and 
corresponding test/conformity assessment methods  defined by the technical specifications. An 
appropriate means may be constituted by a techni cal dossier of the manufacturer or a test 
report from a recognized body. In general, public purchasers should seek to leave as wide a 
choice as possible to the manufacturer or supplier of the produc t and avoid imposing 
unnecessary burdens related to te sting of compliance. A self-declaration or test report could 
only be refused if the contracti ng authority can justify that it cannot be considered appropriate 
for attesting compliance with criteria and verification requirements.  
1.3. Verification of the capacity to ex ecute a contract with environmental 
considerations 
An alternative or complementary way of ensuri ng that products will comply with technical 
specifications, is by formulating selection criteria to verify the technical capacity of the bidder 
to deliver the contract.  
The public procurement directives exhaustively list a series of se lection criteria that bidders 
can be asked to comply with. Wh en setting selection criteria, contracting authorities need to 
take into account the proportionali ty principle and therefore the nature, quantity or importance 
and use of the purchased works, supplies or services.  
In the case of supply contracts, the Directives re fer to samples, descriptions or photographs, as 
well as to certific ates drawn up by official qu ality control institutes or  agencies of recognized 
competence attesting the conformity of pr oducts clearly identifie d by references to 
specifications or standards. In the latter case, contracting author ities shall recognize 
equivalent certificates from bodies  established in other Member States. They shall also accept 
other evidence of equivalent  quality assurance measures  from economic operators.  
In the field of environmental st andards or criteria, following types of evidence of a product's 
or service's compliance with technical specifica tions or award criteria can be identified : 
 
EN 6   EN • Type I Environmental declaration in acco rdance with ISO 14024 : Flower (European 
Ecolabel) and other national or  (multi)-national eco-labels 
• Type III Environmental Declaration in acco rdance with ISO 14025 : Certified EPD or 
Environmental Product Declaration 
• Statement from accredited third party 
• Statement from internal, accredited, laboratory 
• Type II Environmental Declaration ac cording to ISO 14021 : Self-Assessment 
• Various forms of self-assessment, such as EU mandatory energy labelling systems (random 
checks are carried out) or self -assessment forms designed by i ndustry itself, for instance in 
the sector of ICT equipment. 
It should be noted that, in the framework of the Environmental Techno logies Action Plan, the 
European Commission is investigating the possib ility to establish an EU voluntary system for 
the verification by third parties of  the performance claims of ne w technologies. Such a system 
would facilitate the proof of compliance w ith technical specifications or any other 
performance claim put forward by economic operators. 
In the case of services and works contracts, the Directives state that, in appropriate cases, the 
contracting authority may ask from the economic operator to indicate the environmental management measures that it will  be able to apply when perfor ming the contract. In that case, 
reference shall be made to the Community Eco- Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) or to 
environmental management standards based on the relevant European  or international 
standards certified by bodies conforming to Co mmunity law or the relevant European or 
international standards concerni ng certification. Contracting au thorities also have to accept 
other evidence of equivalent envi ronmental management measures.  
Taking the example of a cleaning service contract  with environmental features, a contracting 
authority could require from bidde rs to demonstrate their capaci ty to perform such contract 
properly through an EMAS or equivalent certif icate or by other evidence of equivalent 
environmental management measures, such as a detailed description of  the measures taken 
and appropriate quality control.  
1.4. Formulating an environmental award cri terion in the absence of specific GPP 
criteria 
Different formulations are possi ble for defining award criteria: 
• Compliance with a certain standard giving X points in the award phase 
e.g.: Bids offering products meeting the late st Euro Standard for vehicles (before it 
becomes a mandatory Standard) will  receive 20 points (out of 100). 
• Points awarded proportionally on the ba sis of performance beyond the minimum 
requirements in the technical specifications 
e.g: Bids offering products with an energy demand even lower than that defined in the 
technical specifications will receive up to 20 poi nts (out of 100). Offers meeting only the 
requirements in the technical specifications will receive 0 points. The best offer will 
receive 20 points. Other offers will recei ve a proportional number of points. 
• Points awarded proportionally on the basis of performance, without any minimum 
requirements outlined in the technical specifications 
 e.g: Bids will receive up to 20 points (out of 100) depending on their energy demand. The 
 
EN 7   EN best offer will receive 20 points. The worst offer will receive 0 points. Other offers will 
receive a proportional number of points.  
The last formulation allows a contracting auth ority to set an environmental award criterion 
even in cases where it has in sufficient knowledge in order to  define a precise level of 
environmental performance. Offers will be compared on the basis of their respective scoring as regards this criterion. Ma in environmental impacts are emi ssions to air (green house gas 
and other pollutant emissions) and water, wast e to landfill (including packaging), hazardous 
substances, resource use, envi ronmental quality (biodiversit y, local environment, noise 
emissions), impact on health related to air quality. This method can only be used if the 
contracting authority indicates how it will asse ss the performance of the offers against the 
environmental impact specified.  
In order to be effective and give a clear signal to the market, the environmental award 
criterion needs to be given a significant we ighting within the award criteria. The exact 
weighting that will be given to the environmen tal award criterion will depend on the type of 
product, service or work being purchased a nd the number and relevance of other award 
criteria. With a weighting of for instance 15 %, the contracting authority will compare the 
environmental performance of offers against on e or more environmental impacts specified as 
award criteria and reward the offers accordingly.  
1.5. Contract performance clause requiri ng the contractor to set up an 
environmental management system durin g the performance of the contract 
Contract clauses are linked to the execution ph ase of the contract but  are announced at the 
beginning of the procedure, to allow purchasers to consider those conditions when establishing an offer. In the case of supply contra cts, they may for instance relate to the mode 
of transport of the products (by train, by ship, by truck) or to the need to assure that the 
products delivered are compliant with certain legal requiremen ts, such as respect of ILO 
(International Labour Organisation) conventions
2. In the case of services and works contracts, 
performance may involve appropriate e nvironmental management measures.  
In the case of environmental service or works c ontracts, the contracting authority may specify, 
by way of a contract clause, that the cont ractor should implement an environmental 
management system, in order to ensure corr ect implementation of required environmental 
management measures.  
2. T HE SPECIFIC CASE OF WOOD AND WOOD PRODUCTS  
In the forest sector, the concept of "green" is  rarely used as such, but implicit through 
reference to the internationally used concepts of "sustainable" and "legal" forest management. 
Both are broad concepts whose national implem entation may vary, and cover environmental, 
social and economic aspects. To certify complian ce, market-based privat e sector international 
certification schemes have been established. It  may be difficult for public purchasers to 
identify which of those criteria and schemes are purely environmental, as wood products are 
never only complying with envi ronmental or social or economi c criteria. Therefore, a GPP 
approach for wood products should cover all three types of  criteria as long as such criteria can 
be considered relevant for the subject matter of the contract. Further, there is a clear need for 
streamlining the use of both concepts and their respective verification,  as the current non 
harmonised approach can lead to market dist ortions and additional administrative costs for 
bidders.  
                                                 
2 More information at: http://www.ilo.org/global/lang--en/index.htm   
 
EN 8   EN In Europe, the "sustainability" concept is genera lly defined at the national level. European and 
EU processes generally refer to the criteria and indicators endorsed by the Lisbon Ministerial 
Conference on the Protection of Forests in Eu rope (2 to 4 June 1998). Outside Europe, 
reference is made to the criter ia of the UNCED Forest Principl es (Rio de Janeiro, June 1992) 
and, where applicable, to the cr iteria or guidelines for sustai nable forest management as 
adopted under the respective inte rnational and regional initiativ es (ITTO, Montreal Process, 
Tarapoto Process, UNEP/FAO Dry-Zone Africa Initiative). 
Those criteria relate to environmental aspects (appropriate enhancement of forest resources, 
maintenance of forest ecosystem health an d vitality, biological diversity, production 
functions, protective functions) as well as to social and ec onomic aspects (maintenance of 
other socio-economic functions and conditions). Although there is a clear in ternationally 
agreed basis, national im plementation may vary.  
As regards the notion of "legality ", it refers to compliance with national forest law where the 
latter is consistent and enfo rceable and supportive of basic sustainable forest management  
principles. Illegal harvesting may include not only harvesting practices that contravene the 
regulations, but also using corrupt means to  gain harvesting rights, extraction without 
permission, cutting protected species or extrac tion of timber in exce ss of agreed limits. 
Beyond harvesting, illegal practices may also ex tend to transport infringements, illegal 
processing and export, non-payment of taxes or charges, and misdeclara tion to customs. The 
EU has adopted a Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade Action Plan3 which seeks 
to combat the imports of illegally produced w ood from third party countries. The Action Plan 
encourages Member States to implement procurement practices that give preference to legally logged wood, to act as an incentive for developi ng countries to implement and enforce their 
legislation. The system provide s for the issue of licences te stifying the legality of the 
wood/wood products. 
In the light hereof, it can be concluded that bot h concepts of sustainable and legal forestry 
management can be used for procurement of wood or wood products, if  adapted accordingly 
to the legal requirements of the procurement procedures. Therefore, related criteria and 
requirements regarding verification of complia nce with those criteria can be included as 
technical specifications or award criteria in GPP, as long as these are related to the subject 
matter of the contract.  
In line with the above FLEGT Action Plan, and to prevent market distortions between 
Member states and stimulate competition, Member States and their contracting authorities are 
recommended to stipulate that all wood or wood  products are sourced from legally harvested 
forests as minimum technical specifications fo r supply contacts and as contract performance 
clauses for works contracts. In order to gra dually move towards both legal and sustainably 
harvested wood (which is considered to better assure observance of environmental and social 
aspects of forest management than the implem entation of the legality principle), compliance 
with sustainability criteria, wh ich are linked to the subject matte r of the contract, is proposed 
as an award criterion. As such, market access is  guaranteed for all legally harvested wood and 
wood products. Complying with sustainability criteria would not be a pre-condition for 
entering the market, but would give an  advantage at the award stage.  
                                                
 
3 Council Regulation (EC) No 2 173/2005 of 20 December 2005 on the establishment of a FLEGT 
licensing scheme for imports of timber into the European Community;  more information at: 
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/forests/flegt.htm   
 
EN 9   EN As regards verification of compliance, cont racting authorities can refer to existing 
certification schemes by way of example but s hould also accept other equivalent means of 
proof by bidders.  
There have been frequent calls from stakeholders to identify common criteria for assessing the 
appropriate character of evidence of sustainability used in this sector. As provided in the EU 
Forest Action Plan4, June 2006 and in the Communicati on on “Innovative a nd Sustainable 
Forest-based Industries in the EU5, February 2008, the Commission will facilitate exchanges 
of experience between Member States on deve loping guidelines for application of GPP to 
forest products. This work will be fully coordinated with the work in progress on the development of sustainability cr iteria for biomass (which may in clude setting up of criteria for 
forest biomass), which stems from the EU Biomass Action Plan (COM(2005)-628 and the 
proposed directive on rene wables (Com(2008)-19).  
3. O
PERATIONAL GUIDANCE : TOOLS FOR IMPROVING PROCUREMENT PRACTICES AND 
STIMULATING GPP 
3.1. Life cycle costing and GPP 
A recent study on the costs and benefits of G PP has highlighted that the environmental 
qualities of a product are only one aspect  determining their purchase price6. Other, often more 
important aspects are the brand (or make), qual ity, technical merit, ae sthetic or functional 
characteristics as well as the price deduction schemes related to different purchase volumes. 
Furthermore, eventually higher purchase prices  are in many cases compensated for by lower 
operating costs.  
To ensure efficient public spending, life cycle costing s hould be included in the award 
procedure. In the case of heating installations  for instance, approximately 95 % of the total 
costs of heating pumps are determined by oper ating costs. Public procurement decisions 
solely based on the purchase price are likely to  cause misinvestment. Purchasing decisions are 
only cost-effective if full account has been take n of all significant expenditure of resources 
which is likely to arise as a result of the purchase.  
Life cycle costing implies that the contracting authority identifies the full cost of ownership 
related to the procurement of a product or service.  
• Acquisition costs are those incurred between th e decision to proceed with the procurement 
and the entry of the goods or  services to operational us e (including purchase price, 
registration fees, special taxes, tran sportation and installation costs)  
• Operational costs are those incurred during the operational life of the asset or service  
• End life costs are those associated with the disposal, termination or replacement of the 
asset or service. In the case of assets, dispos al cost can be negative because the asset has a 
resale value.  
                                                 
4 More information at: http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/fore/action_plan/index_en.htm   
5 More information at: http://ec.europa.e u/enterprise/forest_based/index_en.html 
6 "Study on costs/benefits of Gr een public procurement in Europe" (by Öko-Institut and ICLEI for EC), 
July 2007, more information at: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/gpp/index_en.htm   
 
EN 10   EN In the field of construction, the Commission has recently pub lished a Report on "Life cycle 
costing (LCC) as a contribution to sustaina ble construction: a common methodology", which 
has developed a common methodology for the estimation of LCC in construction, which can be used by contracting authorities as part of the Most Economically Advantageous offer 
(http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise /construction/compet/life_cycle_ costing/index_life_cycle_en.ht
m).  
The Commission will undertake to develop a t ool for calculating the life cycle cost of 
products and services and make  it available on its website. 
3.2. Environmental management and GPP  
The EC has developed a management model for implementing a GPP policy within an 
organisation. The model can be downloaded from the GPP website 
(http://ec.europa.eu/envi ronment/gpp/toolkit_en.htm) and be made part of national and local 
GPP training programmes.  
It recommends managing authorities to: 
• identify the scope of the green procurement policy (departments and products covered); 
• issue a formal statement demonstrating its engagement to the green public procurement 
policy, which will support th e implementation of the polic y throughout the organisation 
and the process; 
• offer general guidance on legal aspect s related to green public procurement; 
• set up a task force involving all departments, including financial, environmental and legal 
units, to ensure possible changes needed in terms of budgetary practice and full compliance 
with public procurement legislation. The task fo rce needs to analyse the current status of 
its purchasing and eventually identify priority areas for GPP, based on the basis of 
environmental impact and potential for environmental improvement, budgetary importance, market potential for green alternatives/innovative products (through market 
surveillance) and political sensibilities. Pr oducts with a potential for environmental and 
economic improvement are called "win-wins" and should be included in any green public 
procurement policy; 
• identify responsible purchasers for each of the product groups selected; 
• consider centralised procurement, as this allows for economies of scale; 
• include life cycle costing as an award criteri on for all product groups which call for the use 
of resources during their lifetime;  
• provide training; 
• set clear targets for gradual improvement; 
• monitor the situation; 
• include these activities into a formal actio n plan and make it public to citizens and 
potential suppliers. 
The management model also explains how GP P can be linked to the wider environmental 
management system, such as the European Environment Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS
7), of an organisation. GPP is an important issue to address under an environmental 
                                                 
7 More information at: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/emas/index_en.htm   
 
EN 11   EN management system, as the procurement activit ies of an organisation can have a significant 
environmental impact. Also, other impacts such as use of water and energy and disposal of 
used products can and should be usefully ad dressed through focused green procurement 
practices for construction of bu ildings, maintenance and cleani ng, purchase of energy efficient 
and recyclable office equipment etc. The st andardised structure of an environmental 
management scheme will allow an organisation to identify priority areas for green public 
procurement, establish targets, set action plans and responsibilities and control and 
communicate a green public procurement policy.  
3.3. Joint procurement 
Joint procurement means combining the procurement actions of two or more public 
authorities. The key characteristi c is that there should be one tender published on behalf of all 
purchasing authorities. There are numer ous advantages of joint procurement : 
– reduced price through economies of scales 
– reduced administrative costs fo r drafting tender documents and 
managing contracts 
– pooling of skills and expertise 
– can help to launch environm entally innovative solutions  
Joint procurement can be done through central purchasing organisations, established for the 
purpose of conducting procurement procedures on behalf of other orga nisations, or through 
direct, case-by-case cooperation between pur chasing departments of different public 
authorities, eventually based on collaboration agreements. The c ontract may take the form of 
a framework contract agreement, which is an  agreement between one or more contracting 
authorities and one or more economic operators, the purpose of which is to establish the terms 
governing contracts to be awarde d during a given period, in partic ular with regard to price 
and, where appropriate, the quantit y envisaged. In principal, each participating authority will 
sign individual contracts with the winning suppli er on the basis of th e framework conditions 
set out in the tendering documents. It may also be that one contracti ng authority conducts a 
tendering procedure and states from the start of th e procedure, that is in the contract notice, 
that other, named public authorities, may wish to set up a contract with the winning supplier, 
during the time frame of the wi nning contract, if the offer is considered attractive.  
The EC has co-financed a project, called LEAP8, which was aimed at developing tools and 
guidance for public authorities to  deal with green procurement as part of an environmental 
management system and at testing joint procur ement approaches to overcome market barriers 
for GPP. It has resulted in the development of  a toolkit including deta iled advice and useful 
examples of joint procurement.  
3.4. GPP and innovation 
A European Commission Guide on promotion of innovation through public procurement  was 
published on 23 February 2007. The guide outline s 10 practical approaches that will help 
promote (eco-) innovative solutions. It explains  how to conduct procurement procedures to 
stimulate innovation and research. By clever ly specifying the problem to be solved, 
contracting authorities can l eave companies the room to propose innovative solutions. The 
same is true if preference is given to perfor mance or functional requirements and if variant 
bids are accepted. Early supplie r involvement -through technical dialogue before starting the 
                                                 
8 More information at: http://www.leap-gpp-toolkit.org/  
 
EN 12   EN tendering procedure- can be beneficial to a ssess whether the requirements can be met by 
suppliers and whether there are enough supplie rs in the market to ensure effective 
competition. This dialogue should be conducted in  a way so as to avoid discrimination and the 
precluding of competition. Another interesting instrument for innovative purchases is the design contest. The advantage of this procedure is that it offers the widest range of freedom to 
enterprises to come up with solu tions, making the most optimal us e of the market’s creativity. 
This procedure can be used for all different types of services , supply and works contracts, 
whether it is for a building, for developing a transport plan or even a communication plan. 
Contracting authorities furthermor e have the possibility to allot the contract to the developer 
of the best idea directly (through a negotia ted procedure), making it very attractive for 
companies to bring their best ideas forward.  
3.5. Performance contracting 
Energy Performance Contracting is an innovative financing technique that  uses cost savings 
from reduced energy consumption to repay th e cost of installing energy conservation 
measures. The contractor -usually Energy Serv ice Companies (ESCOs)- b ears the costs of the 
energy improvements and is paid back out of the energy savi ngs (for a contractual period 
which should allow cost-effective investment). The public purchaser, owner of the building, 
will be able to capture the bene fits from energy savings (after pay-back period) without up 
front capital expenses. The ESCO has the ad vantage of centralising the performance of 
various activities (energy aud its, retrofitting, guaranteed energy savings from a selected series 
of conservation measures). 
Additional information and interesting case  studies can be found  on the website of 
Eurocontract http://www.eurocontract.net/f ront_content.php?idcat=1
, a EU funded project 
which seeks to contribute to the development of  a market for energy services in Europe by 
further developing and promoting the model of Energy Performance Contracting (EPC), 
offering examples of best practices, model c ontracts and country specific information for 
many European countries. 
3.6. Green public private partnerships 
The UK government has recently published a useful Guide on "Green public private 
partnerships"9 which highlights why and how to consid er environmental considerations in 
such partnerships, which are increasingly replaci ng traditional contracts, in particular in the 
construction sector. One single contract replaces separate c ontracts let for construction, 
maintenance and facilities. There is a wide range  of different types of partnerships, including 
the Private Finance Initiative, the introduction of priv ate sector ownershi p into state-owned 
businesses and selling Government services into wider markets and other partnerships 
arrangements where private sector expertise an d finance are used to exploit the commercial 
potential of Government assets. The essence of pub lic private partnerships is that the risks are 
managed by the private partner, who normally is better placed to manage them. This 
guarantees best value for money. Because of thei r long term and integrated nature, contractors 
should naturally be interested in considering the synergies between th e design of a building 
and its ultimate operating costs. PPPs are ther efore an excellent opport unity for implementing 
environmental considerations. Detailed informa tion on practical consider ations can be found 
at http://www.hm-
                                                 
9 http://www.hm-
treasury.gov.uk/documents/public_private_partnerships/key_documents/ppp_keydocs_index.cfm  
 
EN 13   EN treasury.gov.uk/documents/public_private_part nerships/key_documents/ppp_keydocs_index.c
fm.  
 
EN 14   EN  
4. E XAMPLES OF GREEN TENDER SPECIFICATIONS FOR CLEANING PRODUCTS AND 
SERVICES , PAPER , ELECTRICITY AND FOOD AND CATERING SERVICES  
The product sheets with examples of green tender  specifications form part of the recently 
developed GPP Training Toolkit. Similar product sheets have been established for all priority 
product and service groups referred to under  Section 4 of the Communication. More 
information on the reasons for selecting those criteria can be found in detailed background 
reports on the GPP website http://ec.europa.eu/en vironment/gpp/index_en.htm . Various 
stakeholders have been consulted, including Me mber State experts in the field of GPP and 
members of the European Union Eco-labe lling Board (EUEB) which also include 
stakeholders from industry and civil society. Following the adoption by the Commission of its 
Communication on "Public procurement for a better  environment", the Member States will be 
invited to formally endorse the already devel oped GPP criteria, after their endorsement by the 
Commission services and followi ng a final consultation round w ith the Member States and 
with stakeholders from industry and civil soci ety, in accordance with the Minimum Standards 
for Consultation.  
For each product/service group two sets  of criteria are presented: 
• "Core" GPP criteria address the most significant environmental impacts, and are 
designed to be used with minimum additiona l verification effort or cost increases 
• "Comprehensive" GPP criteria are intende d for use by authorities who seek to 
purchase the best environmental produc ts available on the market, and may 
require some additional administrative effort or a certain cost increase as compared to other products fulfilling the same function 
The identified criteria can be used either as  technical specifications (these are the minimum 
requirements that all bids need to comply with) or as award criteria ( on the basis of which the 
contracting authority will compare offers and choose the one offering be st value for money). 
Where a points-based evaluation system is use d, compliance with these criteria could for 
example be given a 15% weigh ting in the final evaluation.  
4.1. Cleaning products and services 
4.1.1. Scope Four categories of products are covered, in lin e with those covered by the European Ecolabel 
(http://ec.europa.eu/envir onment/ecolabel/index_en.htm
): 
• All purpose cleaners and cleaners for sanitary facilities (covering three sub-
groups: all purpose cleaners, sanita ry cleaners and window cleaners)  
• 8Detergents for domestic (o r similar) dishwashers  
• Hand dishwashing detergents 
• Laundry detergents for domestic washing machines 
 
EN 15   EN 4.1.2. Key environmental impacts 
Impact Approach 
• Air pollution, ozone formation (smog), 
bioaccumulation or food chain exposure and 
hazardous effects on aquatic organisms or the increased growth of  undesirable aquatic 
organisms which can de grade water quality 
due to the use of certa in chemicals within 
cleaning agents 
• Negative impact on the occupational health 
of employees due to the use of certain 
cleaning agents that contain solvents classified as harmful to health 
• Generation of waste through packaging • Avoid unnecessary products 
• Decrease the use of pro ducts through reviewing 
cleaning plans and techniques 
• Avoid certain substances or ingredients in 
cleaning products 
• Improve the training of cleaning staff 
• Decrease the quantity of packaging used 
• Ensure the recyclability of the packaging used 
• Increase the use of recycled packaging 
 
 
EN 16   EN 4.1.3.  GPP criteria for cleaning products 
4.1.3.1. Core criteria  
  Applicable for: 
  
All-purpose 
cleaners 
Sanitary 
cleaners 
Window 
cleaners 
Hand 
dishwashing 
deter gents 
Laundry 
detergents 
Dishwasher 
detergents 
Specifications 
1. Chemical requirements 
No ingredient (substan ce or preparation) 
shall be included in the product in a 
quantity that exceeds 0.01% by weight 
of the final product that  is classified with 
any of the risk phrases, or combinations 
thereof, as outlined in the following table 
in accordance with Directive 
67/548/EEC and its amendments or 
Directive 1999/45/EC and its 
amendments10. These criteria do not 
apply to biocides, which are dealt with 
separately below:  X X X X X X 
 R31 (contact with acids liberates 
toxic gases. X      
 R40, 45, 49 (carcinogenic).  X X X X X X 
 R42 (sensitising), exceeding 0.1% by 
weight of the final product. X  X  X  X    
 R43 (sensitising), exceeding 0.1% by 
weight of the final product. X  X  X  X    
 R46, 60, 61, 62, 63 (toxic for 
reproduction). X X X X X X 
                                                 
10 Directives 67/548/EEC and 1999/45/EC require produ cers of dangerous chemicals in EU member states 
to provide industrial and professional users with detailed health, safety and environmental information 
and advice about their products. Many chemicals have been analysed for their properties in this regard, 
and may be issued with a hazard warning (e.g. T: Toxic, N: dangerous for the environment), together 
with a risk phrase indicating the precise nature of the risk (e.g. – R26: very toxic by inhalation, R51: 
toxic to aquatic organisms). Directive 67/548/EEC has recently been amended by the new European 
Chemicals regulation (REACH = Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006
 and Directive 2006/121/EC , OJ of 30 December 2006. Enterprises 
which manufacture or import more than one ton of a chemical substance per year will be required to 
register it in a central database admini stered by the new EU Chemicals Agency 
 
EN 17   EN  R50/53, 51/53 (toxic to aquatic 
organisms) X X X X X X 
 R59 (dangerous to the ozone layer). X X X X X  
 R68 (possible risk of irreversible 
effects). X X X X X X 
The following ingredients must not be 
included in the product:        
 Phosphorus 
X (limit: 
0.02g per 
functional 
unit)
X (1g per 
100g of 
product) X    
 Phosphates*. 
    
X (limit: 
25g per 
wash) 
X (limit: 
10g per 
wash) 
 Biocides, unless used as 
preservatives. X X X X   
 Biocides which are classified as 
R50/53 or R51/53 in accordance with 
Directive 67/548/EEC and its 
amendments or Directive 1999/45/EC 
and its amendments, unless they are 
not potentially bioaccum ulative, i.e. if 
the log P ow11 ≥ 3.0 (unless the 
experimentally determined BCF12 
≤100). X X X X   
 Preservatives which are or may be 
classified as R50/53 in accordance 
with Directive 67/548/EEC and its 
amendments or Directive 1999/45/EC 
and its amendments.     X X 
Verification 
All products carrying the European Eco-
label will be deemed to comply.  X X X X X X 
                                                 
11 Log Pow = log octanol/water partition coefficient 
12 BCF = Bio-concentration factor 
 
EN 18   EN If the product does not carry the Eco-
label the following information must be 
clearly provided: 
For each product offered, all substances 
contained above 0.01% by weight of the 
final product must be listed, together 
with their CAS-Number13 (where 
available) and any risk-phrases with 
which they are classified. Information 
taken from the "Material Safety Data 
Sheet" (MSDS or SDS) which have to 
accompany these products, may be 
useful but not sufficient14.  X X X X X X 
The name and function of all biocides 
must be listed. For all biocides classified 
as R50/53 or R51/53 the log P ow or BCF 
must be given. X X X X   
The total quantity of elementary 
phosphorus must be given.  
X (per 
functional 
unit) 
X (per 
100g of 
product)     
The total quantity of phosphates per 
wash must be given*.     X X 
2. Packaging requirements 
All products must be  delivered with 
clear dosing instructions X X X X X X 
Sprays containing propellants must not 
be used X X X    
The primary packaging parts shall be 
easily separable into mono-material 
parts. X X X X   
The cardboard packaging shall consist of 
≥ 80% recycled material.     X X 
                                                 
13 The CAS-Number is an internationally recognised identity number assigned by the Chemical Abstracts 
Service (a division of the American Chemic al Society) to identif y a specific chemical. 
14 Directives 67/548/EEC and 99/45/EC require producers of dangerous chemicals in EU member states to 
provide industrial and professional users with detailed health, safety and environmental information and advice about their products in the form of material  safety data sheets (MSDS). Directive 91/155/EEC, 
as amended by Directives 93/112/EEC and 2001/58/EC, sets out the requirements for the information 
which should be included in a MSDS 
 
EN 19   EN Contract clauses 
The contractor is committed to prove, 
during the whole period of the contract, 
when requested by the contracting 
authority, that the ingredients of all 
products supplied meet the 
biodegradability conditions outlined in 
the Detergents Regulation 648/2004**15 X X X X X X 
* In countries (for example Sweden) where there is highly effective wastewater treatment, it is 
unnecessary to restrict the quantity of phosphorus and phospha tes in the cleaning products 
** Although all products must legally meet thes e biodegradability requirements, this clause 
provides a further enforcement mechanism 
                                                 
15 Regulation (EC) No 648/200415 updates and expands restrictions on the testing and sale of detergents. 
In particular it aims to increase the protection of th e aquatic environment against the harmful effects of 
surfactants, through stricter testing of biodegra dability. Now, only surfactants meeting strict 
biodegradability standards can be used in cleaning products. In certain situations producers can apply 
for derogation (exemption) from this in certain circumstances, but in practice, such products would 
never be legally available to public consumers  
 
EN 20   EN 4.1.3.2. Comprehensive criteria  
  Applicable for: 
  
All-
purpose 
l
Sanitary 
cleaners 
Window 
cleaners 
Hand 
dishwash
i
Laundry 
detergent
Dishwas
her 
dt t
Specifications 
The Environmental and packaging 
requirements for the European Eco-label for 
the relevant product must be met: 
• All purpose cleaners and cleaners for 
sanitary facilities (Commission Decision 
2005/344/EC16)  
• Laundry detergents ( Commission 
Decision 2003/200/EC17) 
• Hand dishwashing detergents 
(Commission Decision 2005/342/EC18) 
• Detergents for dishwashers ( Commission 
decision 2003/31/EC19) X X X X X X 
Verification 
The European Eco-label will be accepted as 
proof of compliance, as will any other 
appropriate means of proof, such as a 
technical dossier of the manufacturer or a test 
report from a recognised body. X X X X X X 
Implementation notes 
• To make the policy fully transparent, cont racting authorities s hould, already when 
describing the subject matter of  the contract, refer to "the  purchase of environmentally 
friendly cleaning products".  
• The detailed criteria are incl uded in the Background Product Report which is available at 
the GPP website http://ec.europa.eu/envi ronment/gpp/index_en.htm . 
• Nordic Swan eco-label:  The Nordic Swan eco-label also covers cleaning products, with a 
large number of products labelled in particul ar in the Nordic countries. The underlying 
                                                 
16 Commission Decision of 23 March 2005 establishing ecological criteria for the award of the 
Community eco-label to all-purpose cleaners and cleaners for sanitary facilities (2005/344/EC)  
17 Commission Decision of 14 February 2003 establishing revised ecological criteria for the award of the 
Community eco-label to laundry detergents and amending Decision 1999/476/EC (2003/200/EC)  
18 Commission Decision of 23 March 2005 establishing revised ecological criteria for the award of the 
Community eco-label to hand dishwashing detergents (2005/342/EC)  
19 Commission Decision of 29 November 2002 establishing revised ecological criteria for the award of the 
Community eco-label to detergents for dishwashers and amending Decision 1999/427/EC (2003/31/EC)  
 
EN 21   EN criteria are slightly different, therefor e having the Nordic Swan label does not 
automatically mean the product meets the Europ ean Eco-label criteria  and vice versa. It 
can therefore be useful to change the specifica tion into “The ecological criteria for either 
the European Eco-label or the Nordic Swan fo r the relevant product must be met. Nordic 
Swan criteria available at: http://www.svanen.nu/Eng  
4.1.4. GPP criteria for cleaning services  
Many authorities have their cleanin g services carried out by priv ate contractors. The tendering 
procedure for selecting the contractor offe rs opportunities for improving the environmental 
and health performance of these services. 
4.1.4.1. Core GPP criteria  
Subject matter 
Environmentally friendly cleaning services  
Specifications 
Products employed by the cleaning company must  meet the criteria as specified under 1.3.1. 
Verification 
The bidder must supply a list of the products  intended to be used, including evidence of 
compliance with the environmental sp ecifications, as specified under 1.3.1. 
Contract clause 
After the first six months of the contract, an d thereafter at the end of every year of the 
contract, a balance must be submitted by the co ntractor indicating the name and quantity of 
the cleaning products used. For any products not mentioned in the initial bid the contractor 
shall provide the required information as referred to in the Verification section to prove 
compliance with the te chnical specifications. 
4.1.4.2. Comprehensive GPP criteria  
Subject matter 
Environmentally friendly cleaning services  
Specifications  
1. Products used 
Products employed by the cleaning company must  meet the criteria referred to under 1.3.2.  
Verification 
The bidder must supply a list of the products  intended to be used, including evidence of 
compliance with the environmental sp ecifications, as specified under 1.3.2. 
2. Staff and organisation 
 
EN 22   EN  • All cleaning staff must be regularly trained. Training s hould cover cleaning agents, 
methods, equipment and machines used, waste management, aspects of health, safety 
and the environment. A record of these tr aining measures (int roductory/vocational 
training) should be available for the contracting authority.  
 • In agreement with the contracting aut hority, precise work instructions on 
environmental protection and on health a nd safety standards in carrying out the 
service shall be produced and displayed in the buildings in a way that they can be 
consulted by cleaning staff at any time. 
 • A facility manager or co-ordinator should be  nominated to organise and supervise the 
cleaning services and report to the contracting authorit y. He has to have undergone 
appropriate training in the fields of occupational health and safety standards, 
application techniques and environmental issues.  
3. Environmentally friendly  cleaning techniques 
 • The contractor should use reusable micr ofibre cloths and apply dry-cleaning 
techniques for linoleum fl ooring where appropriate.  
• The contractor should, when drawing up the work instructions, consider the 
appropriate cleaning frequency for different areas of the building. 
• The contractor should optimise the range of cleaning products used and seek to avoid 
the use of products which are unnecessa ry from a hygienic perspective.  
Selection criteria 
The bidder must demonstrate its capacity to carry out the service in an environmentally 
sound manner. This must include evidence of th e regular training of staff on health, safety 
and environmental aspects of cleaning wor k, together with specific environmental 
management measures which the bidder r outinely applies in cleaning contracts. 
Verification 
An environmental management system (such as the European Environmental Management 
and Audit scheme EMAS20, or ISO 1400121), if covering and attesting environmental 
management capacities as laid down in the selection criteria, sh all be recognized as 
evidence of compliance, as will other eviden ce of equivalent envi ronmental management 
measures. 
Contract clause 
                                                 
20 More information at: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/emas/index_en.htm   
21 http://www.iso.org/iso/home.htm   
 
EN 23   EN After the first six months of the contract, an d thereafter at the end of every year of the 
contract, a balance must be submitted by the co ntractor indicating the name and quantity of 
the cleaning products used. For any products not mentioned in the initial bid, the contractor 
will submit proof of compliance with the specifications. 
Within 6 months of the beginning of the cont ract, the contracted company will provide a 
report to the contractin g authority on the practi cality of using microfibre cloths, and dry-
cleaning techniques for linoleum fl ooring. The contractor should al so be able to justify the 
cleaning frequency and ra nge of products used. 
4.2. Copying and graphic paper  
4.2.1. Scope Copying and graphic paper cover unprinted pa per for writing, printing and copying purposes 
(up to 170g/m
2) sold in sheets or reels. 
Finished paper products such as writing pads , drawing books, calendars, manuals, etc. have 
not been included.  
The criteria are taken from the European Ecolabel22, the Nordic Swan label23 and the Blue 
Angel label24.  
Different sets of crite ria are proposed for: 
(a) Paper based on recovered paper fibres: recovered paper fibres include both 
post-consumer recycled fibres and pre- consumer recycled fibres from paper 
mills, also known as broke. Post-consumer  recycled fibres may come from 
consumers, offices, printing houses, bookbinde rs, or similar.(focus of the Blue 
Angel eco-label25) 
(b) Paper based on virgin timber fibres (foc us of the European Ecolabel and the 
Nordic Swan) 
Contracting authorities are recommended to ma ke reference to both sets of criteria, as 
alternative ways of achieving th e objective of purchasing envir onmental friendly paper, to 
maximize competition and avoid discrimination.  
                                                 
22 http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ecolabel/index_en.htm   
23 http://www.svanen.nu/ ; criteria at: http://www.svanen.nu/Eng/criteria/kriterie.asp?pgn=44  
24 http://www.blauer-engel.de/index.htm   
25 Blue Angel Criteria. Basic criteria for Award of the Environmental Label fo r Recycled paper RAL-UZ 
14 http://www.blauer-engel.de/englisch/vergabe/download_uz_e/e-UZ-014.pdf  
 
EN 24   EN  
4.2.2. Key environmental impacts 
Impact Approach 
Forest destruction and loss of 
biodiversity 
Emissions to air and water during pulp 
and paper production 
Energy and water consumption during 
production 
Chemical consumption during 
production 
Waste generation during production 
such as rejects and sludge Procurement of paper based on recovered 
paper fibres (recycled paper) or paper based on legally and/or su stainably harvested 
wood fibres 
Procurement of paper produced through 
processes characterised by low energy consumption and emissions 
Avoidance of certain substances in paper 
production and bleaching 
 
4.2.3.  GPP criteria for recycled paper 
4.2.3.1. Core criteria – recycled option 
Copying and graphic paper for normal office use Paper for professional 
purposes 
Specifications 
1. Paper must be made from 100% recovered paper fibres.  
Verification 
All products carrying the Blue Ange l eco-label will be deemed to 
comply. The European Ecolabel and Nordic Swan can also serve 
as means of proof it it is specified  that the paper is made from 
100% recovered paper fibres. A ny other appropriate means of 
proof, such as a technical dossier of the manufacturer or a test 
report from a recognised body will also be accepted.  Paper must be made 
from at least 75% 
recovered paper 
fibres  
 
2. The paper must be at least El ementary Chlorine Free (ECF)  
Verification 
All products carrying the European Ecolabel, Nordic Swan or 
Blue Angel ecolabel will be deemed to comply. Any other 
appropriate means of proof, such as a technical dossier of the 
manufacturer or a test report fr om a recognised body will also be 
accepted. Same 
 
EN 25   EN 4.2.3.2. Comprehensive criteria – recycled option 
Copying and graphic paper for normal office use Paper for 
professional 
purposes 
Specifications 
1. Paper must be made from 100% recovered paper fibres, with a 
minimum of 65 % post consume recycled fibres.  
Verification 
All products carrying the Blue Angel eco-label will be deemed to 
comply. The European Ecolabel and Nordic Swan can also serve as 
means of proof it it is specified th at the paper is made from 100% 
recovered paper fibres. Any other appropriate means of proof, such 
as a technical dossier of the manuf acturer or a test report from a 
recognised body will also be accepted.  1. Paper must be 
made from at least 
75% recovered 
paper fibres with a 
minimum of 80 % 
post consume 
recycled fibres.  
2. The environmental criteria of the European Eco-label, the Nordic 
Swan or the Blue Angel directly  related to the paper production 
(and not the management practices of the factory) must be met. 
Full criteria documents  are available at: 
• European Eco-label: 
ec.europa.eu/environment/eco label/product/pg_c opyingpaper_en
.htm  
• Nordic Swan: www.svanen.nu/Eng/criteria /kriterie.asp?pgn=44  
• Blue Angel: www.blauer-
engel.de/englisch/vergabe /download_uz_e/e-UZ-014.pdf  
Verification 
All products carrying the European Ecolabel, Nordic Swan or Blue 
Angel ecolabel will be deemed to comply. Any other appropriate 
means of proof, such as a technical dossier of the manufacturer or a 
test report from a recognised  body will also be accepted. Same, except the 
relevant Blue Angel 
criteria document is 
available at:  
http://www.blauer-
engel.de/englisch/v
ergabe/download_u
z_e/e-UZ-072.pdf   
Implementation notes  
The detailed comprehensive criteria sets are included in the B ackground Product Report 
which is available on the GPP website ( http://ec.europa.eu/envi ronment/gpp/toolkit_en.htm ). 
The distinction between paper for normal use and paper for professional printing purposes 
stems from the distinction made  under the "Blue Angel"  criteria for those different types of 
paper for reasons of compatibili ty with printing functions.  
The authority may choose to use a whiteness le vel of less than 90 %. Above 90 % the paper 
would need to be treated with  optical brightening agents.  
 
EN 26   EN 4.2.4. GPP criteria for paper made from le gal and/or sustainab le virgin fibres 
4.2.4.1. Core criteria – legal and/or  sustainable virgin fibres 
Specifications 
1. Virgin wood fibres for pulp production shall come from legal sources.  
Verification 
Certificates of chain of custody fo r the wood fibres certified as FSC26, PEFC27 or any 
other equivalent means of proof, will be accepted as proof of compliance. 
The legal origin of wood can also be demons trated with a tracing system being in place. 
These voluntary systems may be 3rd party certified, often as part of ISO 9000 and/or ISO 
14000 or EMAS management system.  
If wood stems from a country that has signe d a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) 
with the EU, the FLEGT licence  may serve as proof of legality28. 
For the non-certified wood fibres bidders shall indicate the types (spe cies), quantities and 
origins of fibres used in th e pulp and paper pr oduction, together with  a declaration of 
their legality. As such the fibres shall be  able to be traced throughout the whole 
production chain from the fo rest to the product.  
In specific cases, where the evidence provid ed is not considered sufficient to prove 
compliance with the requested technical specifications, contracting authorities may ask 
suppliers for further clar ifications or proof.  
 
2. The paper must be at least El ementary Chlorine Free (ECF).  
Verification 
A technical dossier of th e manufacturer will serve as means of proof.  
Award criteria 
(X) additional points will be awar ded to products complying with:  
                                                 
26 FSC (Forest Stewardship Coun cil): http://www.fsc.org/en/  
27 PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification): http://www.pefc.org/internet/html  
28 http://ec.europa.eu/environment/forests/flegt.htm  
 
EN 27   EN All virgin wood fibres for pulp production shall come from fore sts that are managed so as 
to implement the principles and measures  aimed at ensuring sustainable forest 
management, on condition that these criteria ch aracterize and are releva nt for the product. 
In Europe, these principles and measures are based on the set of crit eria and indicators 
endorsed by the Lisbon Minister ial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe (2 
to 4 June 1998). Outside Europe they shal l at least correspond to  the UNCED Forest 
Principles (Rio de Janeiro, J une 1992) and, where applicable, to the criteria or guidelines 
for sustainable forest management as a dopted under the respectiv e international and 
regional initiatives (ITTO, M ontreal Process, Tarapoto Pr ocess, UNEP/FAO Dry-Zone 
Africa Initiative). 
Verification 
All products carrying the European Ecolabel or the Nordic Swan will be deemed to 
comply. Certificates of chain of cust ody for the wood fibres certified as FSC29, PEFC30 or 
any other equivalent means of proof, will al so be accepted as proof of compliance. Any 
other appropriate means of proof, such as a tec hnical dossier of the ma nufacturer or a test 
report from a recognised body will also be accepted.  
Implementation notes 
Paper based on virgin timber fibres: in the market , paper is not either 100% recycled or 100% 
from virgin timber fibres but there might be mixtures of them, ther efore the paper has not 
been defined as paper from virgin timber fibres but paper based on  virgin timber fibres, 
which implies the potential use of recycled fi bres for the paper production, as long as the 
specifications defined above are met.  
                                                 
29 FSC (Forest Stewardship Coun cil): http://www.fsc.org/en/  
30 PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification): http://www.pefc.org/internet/html  
 
EN 28   EN  
4.2.4.2. Comprehensive criteria – sustainable and/or legal virgin fibres option 
Specifications 
1. The virgin wood fibres for pulp produc tion shall come from legal sources.  
Verification 
Certificates of chain of custody fo r the wood fibres certified as FSC31, PEFC32 or any 
other equivalent means of proof, will be accepted as proof of compliance. 
The legal origin of wood can also be demons trated with a tracing system being in place. 
These voluntary systems may be 3rd party certified, often as part of ISO 9000 and/or ISO 
14000 or EMAS management system.  
If wood stems from a country that has signe d a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) 
with the EU, the FLEGT licence   may serve as proof of legality  33. 
For the non-certified wood fibres bidders shall indicate the types (spe cies), quantities and 
origins of fibres used in th e pulp and paper pr oduction, together with  a declaration of 
their legality. As such the fibres shall be  able to be traced throughout the whole 
production chain from the fo rest to the product.  
In specific cases, where the evidence provid ed is not considered sufficient to prove 
compliance with the requested technical specifications, contracting authorities may ask 
suppliers for further clar ifications or proof.  
 
2. The paper must be at least El ementary Chlorine Free (ECF). 
Verification 
A technical dossier of th e manufacturer will serve as means of proof.  
Award criteria  
(X) additional points will be aw arded for paper complying with: 
1. All virgin wood fibres for pul p production shall come from forests that are managed so 
as to implement the principles and measures aimed at ensuring sustainable forest 
management, on condition that these criteria ch aracterize and are releva nt for the product. 
In Europe, these principles are based on the se t of criteria and indica tors endorsed by the 
Lisbon Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe (2 to 4 June 1998). 
Outside Europe they shall at  least correspond to the UNCED Forest Principles (Rio de 
Janeiro, June 1992) and, where applicable, to  the criteria or guidelines for sustainable 
forest management as adopted under the respec tive international a nd regional initiatives 
(ITTO, Montreal Process, Tarapoto Process,  UNEP/FAO Dry-Zone Africa Initiative). 
                                                 
31 FSC (Forest Stewardship Coun cil): http://www.fsc.org/en/  
32 PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification): http://www.pefc.org/internet/html  
33 http://ec.europa.eu/environment/forests/flegt.htm  
 
EN 29   EN 2. The ecological criteria of the European Eco- label, the Nordic Swan or the Blue Angel 
directly related to paper pr oduction (and not the management  practices of the factory) 
must be met.  
Full criteria documents available at: 
• European Eco-label: 
ec.europa.eu/environment/ecola bel/product/pg_co pyingpaper_en.htm  
• Nordic Swan: www.svanen.nu/Eng/criteria /kriterie.asp?pgn=44  
Verification 
1: Certificates of chain of custody for the wood fibres certified as FSC34, PEFC35 or any 
other equivalent means of proof, will be accepted as proof of compliance. 
1 & 2: Products carrying the European Eco-label or the Nordic Swan will be deemed to 
comply. Any other appropriate means of proo f, such as a technical dossier of the 
manufacturer or a test report from a recognised body will also be accepted. 
Implementation notes  
The detailed criteria sets ar e included in the Background Produc t Report on the GPP website.  
Paper based on virgin timber fibres: in the market , paper is not either 100% recycled or 100% 
from virgin timber fibres but there might be mixtures of them, ther efore the paper has not 
been defined as paper from virgin timber fibres but paper based on  virgin timber fibres, 
which implies the potential use of recycled fi bres for the paper production, as long as the 
specifications defined above are met.  
4.3. Electricity  
4.3.1. Scope The criteria cover the purchase of "green" el ectricity, that is electricity stemming from 
renewable energy sources (RES-E) as defined by Directive 2001/77/EC
36: wind, solar, 
geothermal, wave, tidal, hydropower, biomass, landfill gas, sewage treatment plant gas and biogases.  
They refer, in addition, to the use of energy services to improve the energy efficiency of a 
building, which are often tendered  in parallel or in combinatio n with a public tender for the 
purchase of electricity.  
The core  criteria focus on the proportion of electri city supplied from RES sources (50% 
recommended).  
The comprehensive  criteria recommend 100% electricity from RES. 
The most direct way to reduce the environmenta l impact of electricity consumption is to 
reduce demand – through energy efficiency improvements in public  buildings and the 
purchase of more efficient energy using products . Both issues are covered by separate product 
                                                
 
34 FSC (Forest Stewardship Coun cil): http://www.fsc.org/en/  
35 PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification): http://www.pefc.org/internet/html  
36 Directive 2001/77/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 September 2001 on the 
promotion of electricity produced from renewable energy sources in the internal electricity market. 
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/e n/oj/2001/l_283/l_28320011027en00330040.pdf   
 
EN 30   EN sheets (construction, office equipment) develo ped in the framework of the Green public 
procurement Training Toolkit availa ble on the European GPP website.  
4.3.2. Key environmental impacts 
Impact  Approach  
• CO2 emissions caused by the 
generation of electricity from fossil fuels  
• Impact on human health, biodiversity 
and water resources due to the 
extraction of materials, i.e. mining (coal) and drilli ng (oil), and waste 
treatment 
• Exploitation of finite fossil fuel 
resources  
• Impact on river eco-systems and local 
populations due to hydropower 
schemes • Increase the share of electricity from 
renewable sources  
4.3.3. GPP criteria for "green" electricity 
4.3.3.1. Core criteria – Electricity 
Specifications 
1. 50% of supplied electricity must come from  renewable energy sources (RES-E) as define d 
by Directive 2001/77/EC.  
Verification 
Guarantee of Origin schemes or equivalent proof -  All EU countries are legally obliged, under 
Directive 2001/77/EC to set up Gu arantee of Origin schemes.  
Guarantees of Origin are however no exclusiv e proof. An alternative would be for the supplie r
to provide independent proof of the fact that a corresponding qua ntity of electricity has been 
generated from so-defined renewable sources, e.g. a tradable certificate from an independen t
issuing body such as RECS37, which guarantee the compliance with the RES-E Directive 
2001/77/EC if not nationally impl emented. Alternatively, certif ication by a labelling scheme 
for green electricity which fulfils at least th e criteria of the RES-E Directive 2001/77/EC will 
be accepted as proof, such as a Type-1 ecolabel.  
Award criteria 
                                                 
37 RECS = Renewable Energy Certificates System: www.recs.org   
 
EN 31   EN (X) additional points wi ll be awarded for: 
1. Additional RES-E : The tenderer should indicate the proportion of electricity to be supplie d
from RES sources. (X.1) additional points will be awarded in proporti on to the electricity
generated by RES-E above the minimu m requirement in the specification
 
Contract clauses 
At the end of each year of the contract the contra ctor must disclose the or igin of the electricity 
supplied to the contracting authority to demons trate that at least 50% came from renewable 
energy sources. Guarantees of Origin (GoO) or e quivalent proof must be provided. This is not 
required from certified suppliers of 100% green electricity (i.e. carry ing a Type-1 ecolabel 
which uses a definition of RES which is at leas t as strict as that of Directive 2001/77/EC).  
4.3.3.2. Comprehensive criteria – Electricity 
Specifications 
1. 100% of supplied electricity must come from renewable energy sources (RES-E) as 
defined by Directive 2001/77/EC. 
Verification 
Guarantee of Origin schemes or equivalent proof -  All EU countries ar e legally obliged, 
under Directive 2001/77/EC to set up Guarantee of Origin schemes.  
Guarantees of Origin are however no exclus ive proof. An alterna tive would be for the 
supplier to provide independent proof of the f act that a corresponding quantity of electricity 
has been generated from so-defined renewable sources, e.g. a tradable certificate from an 
independent issuing body such as RECS38, which guarantee the compliance with the RES-E 
Directive 2001/77/EC if not nationally impl emented. Alternatively, certification by a 
labelling scheme for green electr icity which fulfils at least the criteria of the RES-E Directive 
2001/77/EC will be accepted as proof, such as a Type-1 ecolabel.  
                                                 
38 RECS = Renewable Energy Certificates System: www.recs.org   
 
EN 32   EN  
Contract performance clauses 
At the end of each year of the contract, the contractor must disclose the origin of the 
electricity supplied to the cont racting authority to demonstrat e that at least 100% came from 
renewable energy sources. Guarantees of Orig in (GoO) or equivalent proof must be 
provided39.  
Implementation notes  
Considering energy efficiency measures: When  purchasing electric ity, contracting 
authorities may also consider awarding a cont ract for energy efficiency services, and see k
specialist advice on energy efficiency impr ovements. A number of energy efficiency
measures can easily be made with short pa yback periods. A tender for energy efficiency 
services could be published t ogether with or in parall el to that for electricity40. 
 
4.4. Food and catering services 
4.4.1. Scope Environmental criteria are formulated for the following range of products: fruits and 
vegetables; fish, meat and da iry products; processed food
41 and drinks and beverages; as well 
as for the provision of catering services. 
For food, core criteria a ddress organic production met hods and packaging waste. 
Comprehensive criteria address also other aspects, such as the Integrated Production 
processes42, animal welfare and the absence of GMOs43. 
                                                 
39 For examples of labelling schemes covering certification of "green" electricity: 
The Eugene Standard. www.eugenestandard.org 
ok–Power (Germany): www.ok-power.de 
Gruener Strom (Germany): www.gruenerstromlabel.de Umweltzeichen (Austria ): www.oekostrom.at 
the Technical Inspection Associati on (TÜV, Germany): www.de.tuv.com 
Landesgewerbeanstalt Bayern (LGA, Germany): www.lga.de/ 100% green energy (Italy): www.centopercentoverde.org 
The Ekoenergia label, also called “Norppa suosittelee ekoenergia” (Norppa recommends eco-energy, Finland): 
www.ekoenergia.info 
The Milieukeur label (Netherlands) – www.milieukeur.nl 
Bra Miljöval ("Good Green Buy" or "Good Enviro nmental Choice", Sweden) www.snf.se/bmv/index.cfm 
40 More information on energy performance contracting can be found at: 
http://www.eurocontract.net/f ront_content.php?idcat=1   
41 Processed food as understood here is food that has be en processed to produce ot her products and/or to 
allow preservation over long periods of time, in both cases with the addition of colorants, flavouring 
substances and other additives. 
42 Integrated crop management systems in the EU. Amended Final Report for European Commission DG Environment Submitted. Agra CEAS Consulting. May 2002. 
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/agriculture/pdf/icm_finalreport.pdf 
43 There are a number of specific pieces of legislation concerning genetically modified organisms 
(GMOs)  and also several r egarding animal welfare . 
A broader presentation on those can be found at: 
http://ec.europa.eu/food/index_en.htm   
 
EN 33   EN For catering services, core  criteria focus on organic f ood, reduction of packaging and 
selection of waste; comprehensive  criteria focus in addition on environmental selection 
criteria, the use of paper and cleaning products, kitchen equipment, nutrition etc.  
4.4.2. Key environmental impacts 
Impact Approach 
• Eutrophication44, acidification45 and 
toxic effects in the environment 
(plants and animals) and consumers due to the bioaccumulation and biomagnification
46 of pesticides and 
fertilisers present in water, air, soil and food  
• Negative impact on the occupational 
health of farmers due to the handling 
and use of certain pesticides and fertilisers 
• Soil erosion, forest destruction and 
loss of biodiversity by agriculture, intense animal production and intense fishing and aquaculture 
practices • Procurement of organic food and 
livestock products 
• Procurement of food produced under 
“integrated production systems”  
• Procurement of sustainably-produced or 
caught fish 
• Procurement of lives tock products with 
high welfare standards 
                                                                                                                                                         
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/index_en.htm   
http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/index_en.htm  
44 Eutrophication is the process whereby a body of water (such as lakes, estuaries, or slow-moving 
streams) becomes over-enriched with  nutrients which results in overgro wth of plants (algae, nuisance 
plants weeds...). This enhanced plant growth when they dye and decompose, reduces dissolved oxygen in water which can lead to the death of aquatic or ganisms (such as fishes). Nutrients can come from 
many antropogenic (human) sources, such as fertilizer s applied to fields; erosion of soil; deposition of 
nitrogen from the atmosphere; and sewage treatment plant discharges.  
45 Acidification is the build-up of excess sulphuric and nitric acids into soils, waters, and air caused by 
acid depositions. Their origin are anthropogenic (human) emissions of mainly sulphur dioxide, nitrogen 
oxides, and ammonia from, for example, the use of animal manure and other soil improvers in agriculture. Acid depositions have negative impacts on water, forests, and soil. They cause defoliation 
and weakening of trees; the can also change soil and water pH mobilising heavy metals and other 
harmful substances with toxic effects on soil and aquatic organisms; and also damage buildings and monuments. 
Acidification is the build-up of excess sulphuric and nitric acids into soils, waters, and air caused by acid 
depositions. Their origin are anthropogenic (human) emissions of mainly sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and ammonia from, for example, the use of animal manure and other soil improvers in 
agriculture. Acid depositions have negative impacts on water, forests, and soil. They cause defoliation 
and weakening of trees; the can also change soil and water pH mobilising heavy metals and other 
harmful substances with toxic effects on soil and aquatic organisms; and also damage buildings and 
monuments. 
46 Bioaccumulation occurs when an organism absorbs a to xic substance at a rate greater than that at which 
the substance is excreted or degraded biologically. Bi omagnification is the increase in concentration of 
a substance that occurs in a food chain as a consequence of: food chain energetics and low (or 
nonexistent) rate of excretion/degradation of the substance. Although sometimes used interchangeably 
with 'bioaccumulation,' an importa nt distinction is drawn between the two. Bioaccumulation occurs 
within an organism, and biomagnification occurs across trophic (food chain) levels. 
 
EN 34   EN • Animal cruelty due to  lack of respect 
for animal welfare 
• Energy and water consumption in 
food production and processing 
• Packaging waste  
• High consumption of cleaning 
agents and other chemicals in food 
processing and kitchens might have a negative impact on the occupational health of kitchen personnel and on the environment through waste water 
• High water and energy consumption 
of kitchen appliances 
• CO2 and other pollutant emissions 
as a result of modes of transport used to carry out the catering services • Procurement in bulk, use of reusable, 
recyclable and recycled containers and 
packaging, use of reusable cutlery, crockery, glassware and tablecloths 
• Use of environmentally friendly paper 
products 
• Selective waste collection and staff 
training 
• Minimisation of the use of hazardous 
chemicals in food processing and the use 
of environmentally friendly cleaning and dishwashing products 
• Procurement of water and energy 
efficient kitchen appliances 
• Improvement of transport routes and 
energy efficiency and reduction of emissions by vehicles used in the catering services 
4.4.3. Food – GPP criteria 
4.4.3.1. Core criteria – Food 
Specifications 
[X] % of [either a defined product group such as dairy, meat, vegetables, or a list of 
specific products e.g. potatoes, tomatoes, b eef, eggs] must be organically produced 
according to Regulation (EC) 2092/91 of 24 June 1991 on organic production of 
agricultural products until 31 December 2008, and Regulation (EC) 834/2007 as of 1 
January 2009. 
Verification 
Proof must be supplied that the food has b een certified as organically produced by the 
competent body.  
Award criteria 
 
EN 35   EN Additional points will be awarded for: 
1. Organic food: additional share of products coming from organic sources above the 
minimum requirement in the specification. 
Verification: as above  
2. Packaging: Percentage of products that:  
 
• are supplied in secondary and/or transport packaging with more than 45% recycled 
content 
• are not supplied in individual por tions (single-unit packages). 
Verification:  bidders will have to provide a signed  declaration indicating which of these 
criteria it is able to meet. The contracting authority will verify compliance during the 
contract period, and appropria te penalties will be applied for non-compliance. 
Implementation notes  
The contracting authority will ha ve to specify how the percentage  will be judged, either in 
volume, weight, or € spent.  
4.4.3.2. Comprehensive criteria – food 
Specifications (Food products) 
1. [X] % of [either a defined product groups such  as dairy, meat, vegetables, or a list of 
specific products e.g. potatoes, tomatoes, b eef, eggs] must be organically produced 
according to Regulation (EC) 2092/91 of 24 June 1991 on organic production of 
agricultural products until 31 December 2008, and Regulation (EC) 834/2007 as of 1 
January 2009. 
Verification :  
Proof must be supplied that the food has b een certified as organically produced by the 
competent body. 
2. Of the remaining non-organic produce, [X] % [either a defined product group such as 
dairy, meat, vegetables, or a list of specific products e.g. potatoes, tomatoes, beef, eggs] 
must be produced in accordance with the crit eria of Integrated Production or equivalent 
systems. 
Verification: 
Products carrying the regional/national Integr ated Production label will be deemed to 
comply. Alternatively, the bidder will have to  provide appropriate evidence of compliance 
with each of the requirements laid down in regional/national Integrated Production 
standards. 
 
Award criteria 
Additional points will be awarded for: 
 
EN 36   EN 1. Organic food : additional share of products comi ng from organic sources above the 
minimum requirement in the specification. 
Verification: as above  
2. Integrated production : additional share of products stemming from Integrated 
Production products above the minimum le vel demanded in the specifications. 
Verification:  as above  
3. Aquaculture products : Proportion of fish which ar e caught or produced through 
sustainable practices and methods  as defined in a relevant la bel for sustainable fishing and 
aquaculture. 
Verification : fish products carrying a label for sustai nable fishing or aquaculture practices 
will be deemed to comply with the criteria as will other appropriate means which clearly 
indicate compliance with the sustainable fishery or aquaculture criteria of a relevant label 
for sustainable fishing and aquaculture. 
4. Animal welfare standards : Proportion of animal produc ts which are produced with 
higher welfare standards according to national guidelines. 
Verification:  Products presenting appropriate evid ence of meeting relevant national 
voluntary standards, such as certification fr om a recognised body, will be presumed to 
comply. Alternatively, the bidder will have to  provide appropriate evidence of compliance 
with welfare standards.  
5. Packaging: Percentage of products that:  
 
• are supplied in secondary and/or transport packaging with more than 45% recycled 
content 
• are not supplied in individual por tions (single-unit packages) 
Verification:  bidders will have to provide a signed  declaration indicating which of these 
criteria it is able to meet. The contracting authority will verify compliance during the 
contract period, and appropria te penalties will be applied for non-compliance. 
 
4.4.4. Catering services – GPP criteria 
4.4.4.1. Core criteria – Catering services 
Specifications 
Food criteria  
1. [X] % of [either a defined product groups such  as dairy, meat, vegetables, or a list of 
specific products e.g. potatoes, tomatoes, beef, eggs] supplied by the catering company 
must be organically produced according to (EC) 2092/91 of 24 June 1991 on organic 
production of agricultural products un til 31 December 2008, and Regulation (EC) 
834/2007 as of 1 January 2009. 
Verification : Suppliers presenting the Nordic Swan ecolabel certificate for restaurants will 
be presumed to comply with the criteria if th ey specify the percentage of organic food that 
will be used in the relevant c ontract. Alternatively suppliers must indicate how they intend 
 
EN 37   EN to meet the obligation within the proposed offer. Proof must  be supplied that the food is 
certified as organically pr oduced by the competent body. 
2. [in case the contracted company defines the menus] The main fruit, vegetables and fish 
that are used shall, whenever possible, be selected according to the season based on the 
geographical location in whic h the assignment is performed. The recommended guidelines 
are found in the seasonal calendar in Anne x X [to be developed by the contracting 
authority]. 
Award criteria  
Additional points will be awarded  
1. Organic food: additional share of products coming from organic sources above the 
minimum requirement in the specification 
Verification : as above 
2. Packaging: Percentage of products that: 
• are supplied in secondary and/or transport packaging with more than 45% recycled 
content 
• are not supplied in individual por tions (single-unit packages). 
Verification : Suppliers presenting the Nordic Swan ecolabel certificate for restaurants will 
be presumed to comply with the criteria if the certificate covers the above requirements. 
Alternatively bidders will have to provide a signed declaration indi cating which of these 
criteria it is able to meet. The contracting authority will verify compliance during the 
contract period, and appropria te penalties will be applied for non-compliance. 
 
Contract performance clauses 
1. Waste generation  
• In order to reduce waste gene ration, food and beverages must be served using reusable 
cutlery, glassware, crockery and tablecloths. 
• Waste produced during the catering services will be collected separately according to 
the collecting system of the public admini stration, which includes the fractions of 
[define here the specific wast e fractions to be separately collected, depending on local 
administrative rules].  
2. Transport  
• Vehicles used for carrying out  the catering services shall at least fulfil the exhaust 
emission requirements of EURO III (this means that the vehi cle shall be from at least 
2000/2001 or has been retrofitted to comp ly with such emission levels).  
Implementation notes  
Seasonal products are those pr oducts that are grow n outdoors in the region where the 
procurement is carried out. Each contracting auth ority will have to attach to the tender in 
an Annex a self-developed or already exis ting seasonal food “calendar” of the region, 
where it is marked in which months the main  food products (mainly vegetables and fruit 
 
EN 38   EN but also fish) are grown outdoors/fished in  the region. However, products need not 
actually come from the region. 
 
4.4.4.2. Comprehensive criteria – Catering services 
Selection criteria 
The contractor must prove its technical an d professional capacity to perform the 
environmental aspects of the contract through: 
• Certification under an environmental management system (EMS) (such as EMAS, ISO 
14001 or equivalent, [insert other national or regional official systems]), or 
• evidence of an environmental policy coveri ng work instructions and procedures to 
carry out the service in an environmentally friendly way, or 
• evidence of previous experience in applyi ng environmental management measures in 
similar contracts,  
• the Nordic Swan label for rest aurants (in Nordic Countries). 
Specifications 
Food criteria  
1. [X] % of [either a defined product group such  as dairy, meat, vege tables, or a list of 
specific products e.g. potatoes, tomatoes, beef, eggs] supplied by the catering company 
must be organically produced according to (EC) 2092/91 of 24 June 1991 on organic 
production of agricultural products un til 31 December 2008, and Regulation (EC) 
834/2007 as of 1 January 2009. 
Verification : Suppliers presenting the Nordic Swan ecolabel certificate for restaurants will 
be presumed to comply with th is criterion, if they specify the percentage  of organic food 
that will be used in the relevant contract. Alternatively suppliers mu st indicate how they 
intend to meet the obligation wi thin the proposed offer. Proof  must be supplied that the 
food is certified as organically  produced by the competent body. 
2. Of the remaining non-organic produce, [X] % of [either a defined product groups such 
as dairy, meat, vegetables, or a list of specific products e.g. potatoes, tomatoes, beef, eggs] 
supplied by the catering company must be pr oduced in accordance with the criteria of 
Integrated Production or equivalent systems. 
Verification:  Suppliers must indicate how they in tend to meet the ob ligation. Products 
carrying the regional/national Integrated Produc tion label will be deemed to comply with 
the criteria. Alternatively, the bidder will have to provide appropriate evidence of 
compliance with each of the requirements laid down in regional/national Integrated 
Production standards. 
3. [In case the contracted company defines the menus] The main fruit, vegetables and fish 
that are used shall, whenever possible, be selected according to the season based on the 
geographical location in whic h the assignment is performed. The recommended guidelines 
are found in the seasonal cal endar in Annex X [to be developed by the procurer]. 
Paper products  
 
EN 39   EN 4. Paper products such as kitchen paper or pa per napkins must be made from recycled 
fibres or virgin wood fibres coming from fore sts that are managed so as to implement the 
principles and measures aimed at ensu ring sustainable forest management.  
Verification : products carrying the European Ecolabel , Nordic Swan, Blue Angel or other 
national ecolabel will be presumed to comp ly; other appropriate evidence, such as a 
technical dossier from the manufacturer  or test report will also be accepted. 
Award criteria 
 
Additional points will be awarded  
1. Organic Food: additional share of produc ts coming from Integrated Production sources 
above the minimum requirement in the specification. 
Verification:  as above 
2. Integrated Production : additional share of products from Integrated Production sources 
above the minimum requirement in the specification 
Verification : as above 
3. Aquaculture products : Proportion of fish (as compared to the total volume of fish 
products purchased) to be supplied by the ca tering company which are caught or produced 
through sustainable practices an d methods as defined in a re levant label for sustainable 
fishing and aquaculture. 
Verification : Suppliers must indicate how they in tend to meet the obligation within the 
proposed offer. Fish products carrying a labe l for sustainable fishing or aquaculture 
practices will be deemed to comply with th e criteria as will other appropriate means which 
clearly indicate compliance with  the sustainable fishery or aquaculture criteria of a 
relevant label for sustainable fishing and aquaculture. 
4. Animal welfare standards: proportion of animal products to  be supplied by the catering 
company which are produced with hgher we lfare standards acco rding to national 
guidelines  
Verification : Suppliers must indicate how they in tend to meet the obligation within the 
proposed offer. Products presenting appropriate  evidence of meeting the relevant national 
voluntary standards, such as certification fr om a recognised body, will be presumed to 
comply. Alternatively, the bidder will have to  provide appropriate evidence of compliance 
with welfare standards. 
5. Packaging: Percentage of products that:  
• are supplied in secondary/or tr ansport packaging with more than 45% recycled content 
• are not supplied in individual por tions (single-unit packages) 
Verification:  Suppliers presenting the Nordic Swan ecolabel certificate for restaurants will 
be presumed to comply with the criteria if the certificate covers these requirements. 
Alternatively bidders will have to provide a signed declaration indi cating which of these 
criteria it is able to meet. The contracting authority will verify compliance during the 
contract period, and appropria te penalties will be applied for non-compliance. 
6. Equipment: the following criteria must be met:  
 
EN 40   EN Refrigerators and freezers used in the provis ion of the service are free of ozone-depleting 
substances (HCFCs) and HFCs. 
The equipment used meets one or more of  the following energy efficiency standards 
where such standards exist: Energy Star, EU  energy label (classification A), or [other 
national standards]  or equivalent. 
The equipment used is water efficient accord ing to the EU label (classification A) or 
equivalent standards  
Verification:  Suppliers must provide a list with th e equipment they own identifying those 
with relevant efficiency labels, or providi ng alternative appropriate evidence that the 
criteria are met.  
7. Cleaning products : The cleaning products to be used in carrying out the service must 
meet the following criteria: 
(insert Core criteria from Cleani ng Products and Services Product Sheet) 
 
Verification: (insert Core criteria verific ation from Cleaning Products and Services 
Product Sheet)  
Contract performance clauses  
1. Waste generation  
• In order to reduce waste gene ration, food and beverages must be served using reusable 
cutlery, glassware, crockery and tableclot hs avoiding the use of one-use articles. 
• Waste produced during the catering services will be collected separately according to 
the collecting system of the public admini stration, which includes the fractions of 
[define here the specific waste frac tions to be separately collected]. 
 
2. Staff training  
The catering staff must be trained on subj ects such as wast e minimisation, waste 
management and selective waste collect ion and product information (origin, 
environmental quality of the products). The contractor will presen t a training plan once 
the contract is awarded and, at the end of the contract, a certificat e stating the training 
made both to new and permanent staff. 
 
3. Service management  
[if selection, criteria are not included] The contractor shall endeavour to ensure that, 
where possible, food supplied is produced in a manner that minimises adverse 
environmental impacts. Therefore within the firs t 6 months of contract, the contractor will 
have structured and documented environmental procedures for at least the following areas:
• Evaluation of the most significant environmental aspects or the service provided. 
• Food selection, manipula tion and conservation. 
• Waste minimisation and selective collection. 
 
EN 41   EN • Reduction of energy and water consumpti on in food preparation and transport. 
• Training. 
4. Transport  
Vehicles used for the delivery of produce sh all at least fulfil the exhaust emission 
requirements of EURO III (this means that the vehicle shall be from at least 2000/2001 or 
has been retrofitted to comply with such emission levels).