Green award criteria in the most economical advantageous tender in public purchasing

The term public purchasing refers to the purchasing by governmental organizations and local authorities of goods, services and works, which are used in a variety of public sectors, such as housing, public transport, infrastructure, offices, and major construction works. In the European Union (EU), the public procurement procedure is relatively strictly regulated by the EU legislation. The new public procurement Directives, 2004/17/EC and 2004/18/EC, that repealed Directives 92/50/EEC and 93/36/EEC and 93/37/EEC, were adopted in 2004, but in many EU member states the national legislation has not yet been implemented according to new directives. The aim of the directives is to ensure a competitive bidding process by establishing common rules for advertising procurement needs, invitations to tender and contract award. These rules are based on the principles of non-discrimination on the basis of nationality for EU companies, free competition and transparency of award procedures.