EU GPP Helpdesk Webinar 'Preserving water through public procurement'

Within the framework of the EU Helpdesk for Green Public Procurement, the first webinar of 2025, entitled ‘Preserving water through public procurement’, will be held on 10 April, from 14:00 to 15:30 CEST, and will cover the topic of water management in public contracts. 

Water management and water resources can affect a substantial part of economic activities and industries. By incorporating water-related criteria into procurement decisions — such as prioritising water-efficient technologies, infrastructures and practices that minimise water wastage and pollution — public buyers can drive significant reductions in water consumption and scarcity, while improving water quality. This is especially important given reports from the European Environment Agency (EEA) highlighting the ongoing challenges of water scarcity, pollution and ecosystem degradation across Europe. Green public procurement not only mitigates environmental impacts, but also supports the EU's broader environmental and climate objectives, fostering healthier aquatic ecosystems and safeguarding water resources for future generations. In addition, public authorities can purchase infrastructure that helps manage droughts and floods.

This webinar will examine the impact of public procurement on water resources in Europe through the presentation of analyses and practical examples of procurement. 

Agenda:

• Welcome and Introduction from the EU GPP Helpdesk, Ivan Azevedo, Policy Officer, Unit B.1, Directorate-General for Environment, European Commission.
• Overview of the state of water in Europe, Dr. Caroline Whalley, Expert, Water Industries and Pollution, European Environment Agency.
• Use of water-saving techniques criteria in contracts, Andrea Sabbadini, Manager of the Expenditure Monitoring Department of the Regional Health Service, Lazio Region, Italy.
• Improving water quality through public procurement, Anette Svensson, Sustainability Specialist, Upphandlingsmyndigheten (Swedish National Agency for Public Procurement), Sweden. 

Organiser: ICLEI Europe – Local Governments for Sustainability, on behalf of the European Commission (DG Environment).