Gov't adopts National Green Procurement Program 2025 - 2030

The government approved on Thursday the National Green Procurement Program (PNAE) 2025 - 2030 put forward by the Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forestry, which will stimulate the procurement by central and local governments of environmentally low-impact products, services and works, the relevant ministry announced in a release."Stimulating the procurement at the level of central and local governments of environmentally low-impact products, services and works is an important element for the conservation of natural resources, the transition to a circular economy, energy and cost savings. At the same time, the implementation of the National Green Procurement Program will generate sustainable business models, help create green jobs and increased incomes, while consumers will benefit from sustainable and innovative products which will contribute to increasing the quality of life and to long-term savings," Minister Mircea Fechet said.According to the cited source, by developing the National Green Procurement Program 2025 - 2030, Romania complies with European targets, as it was the only member state that did not have until now an action plan regarding green public procurement."The National Green Procurement Program sets targets for speeding up the transition to sustainable consumption and production models, as well as supporting contracting authorities/entities in purchasing products and services with reduced environmental impact and changing consumer behavior towards sustainable products, services and works. The program will also support the participation of SMEs in the European single market and support contracting entities in applying environmental criteria. Also, it will contribute to educating the business environment in terms of compliance with the principles of sustainable development," the release states.The products, services and works for which annual public procurement targets are established for the period 2025-2030 are: computers, monitors, tablets, smartphones; copy paper and graphic paper; image processing equipment, consumables for image processing equipment; furniture; interior cleaning products; food; textile products; electrical and electronic equipment used in the healthcare sector; products for the arrangement of green public spaces; water-based heating plants; road lighting and road signaling systems; road transport vehicles; data centers, server rooms and cloud services; catering services; interior cleaning services; paints, varnishes and road markings; public space maintenance; road transport services; printing services; design, construction and management of buildings; design, construction and maintenance of roads; textile services (laundry, repair, maintenance, textile takeover).The National Green Procurement Program 2025 - 2030 was conceived by having in view the goals of the National Strategy for Romania's Sustainable Development 2030, the National Public Procurement Strategy 2023 - 2027 approved by Government Decision No. 554/2023, the National Strategy on Circular Economy approved by Government Decision No. 1172/2022, with subsequent additions and other relevant strategic documents.The National Green Procurement Program 2025 - 2030 represents one of the commitments undertaken by Romania in order to align with the provisions of OECD legal instruments.