Catalonia, a region of Spain, has around 7.7m inhabitants and a total GDP of about €244m (2020, Idescat. Statistical Institute of Catalonia). As an autonomous region it has some legislative capacity and exclusive competences managed by the Government of Catalonia. The Ministry of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda is the expert body for environmental policy of the Catalan Government, and, as such, is in charge of promoting green public procurement within the government.
7.7m Population | |
175,193 Employees | |
€38,139m Budget |
Maria José Sarrias
Head of Environmental Qualification System
More information? Email procurement@iclei.org
Centralised Procurement
For those purchases that have been centralised for the whole Catalan Government and other interested public authorities, the Ministry of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda works closely with the government’s central purchasing body (the Central Supplies Commission of the Ministry of Economy and Finance) to progressively incorporate environmental criteria in the framework agreements and derived contracts the government concludes.
The cooperation since 2005 between both Ministries has resulted in the inclusion of environmental criteria in most framework agreements and centralised purchases of the Government. The agreements and contracts are regularly reviewed to respond to and foster further green market transformation:
Decentralised Procurement
For the greening of decentralized purchases, the Ministry of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda provides tools and direct support to any Government body that wishes to include environmental criteria in their tenders. This includes:
Furthermore, to provide basic GPP information, the Ministry keeps in its website a specific section on GPP with general information, a brief explanation on how to green tenders based on the present regulations and links to the GPP guides from the European Commission and the Ministry.
The Government of Catalonia fosters the circular economy through public procurement by defining procurement criteria for tenders as well as for GPP guidelines aimed at increasing the durability, resource efficiency, reuse, remanufacture, recycling and procurement of recycled products.
A summary of those actions and future work areas on this field are summarised in the presentation: Circular Economy and GPP in the Catalan Government.
The Catalan Government has greened the following categories:
Making socially responsible public procurement work. 71 good practices. European Commission.
GPP 2020: Contracting medical transport services in Catalonia (Catalan Health Service)
GPP 2020: Lease to buy contract for low emission cars (Ministry of Home Affairs)
GPP 2020: Lease of low-emission vehicles (Roads Directorate General)
GPP 2020: Lease-purchase of low carbon cars (Ministry of Territory and Sustainability)
GPP 2020: Energy efficiency and maintenance service (Catalan Institute of Oncology)
GPP 2020: Energy Performance Contracting and maintenance service (Ministry of Culture)
GPP 2020: Energy efficiency services for school buildings (Ministry of Education)
EC GPP Case study: energy performance contracting in Catalonia
Case study: improving air quality through clean vehicle procurement
For further information on the activities of the Government of Catalonia visit their website:
or email procurement@iclei.org