EU project

proCURE – Joining forces for a sustainable procurement in small municipalities

proCURE aims to empower political decision-makers and municipal employees to initiate and implement sustainable procurement practices and create joint procurement structures.

The global community has set itself targets for social, economic and environmental development in 2015 when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the 2030 Agenda. Governments at all levels, civil society and the private sector should contribute to the realisation of these goals. Sustainable procurement, which means the consideration of social, environmental and economic aspects in public procurement, is an important measure for governments to make their contribution. SDG 12 on sustainable consumption and production emphasises the importance of sustainable public procurement for achieving the whole set of goals.

The public sector, and municipalities in particular, are major clients. Public administrations in the European Union spend around 14 per cent of the EU's gross domestic product on goods and services of various kinds. With their considerable purchasing power, they can influence the market and support sustainable economic structures, contribute to climate protection, reduce environmental pollution, improve working conditions worldwide and promote innovation.

Despite a favourable legal and political framework in Europe, the potential for sustainable procurement is far from exhausted. Many administrative staff find the topic of sustainable procurement complicated and fraught with uncertainty. Small municipalities in particular find it difficult to put sustainable procurement or the consideration of sustainability aspects in direct purchasing into practice. A lack of awareness and conviction among decision-makers and administrative staff, uncertainties about legal options, a lack of knowledge about the application of sustainability criteria and a lack of resources are the main challenges.

proCURE wants to support small municipalities in particular with sustainable procurement. The project pursues the following objectives:

• Develop training materials and practical guidance for the introduction and implementation of sustainable procurement practices in municipalities;
• Develop a curriculum and teaching material for schools of Public Administration to prepare future procurers for the challenges they will face;
• Develop a train-the-trainer course for multipliers and experts for training programmes in the non-formal education sector;
• Creating common procedures that enable groups of small communities to join forces and create joint procurement structures;
• Building a network of sustainable procurement experts.

The project runs from November 2023 to October 2025 and includes organisations from Germany (Allianz in den Alpen and agado), Italy (ecosistemi), Austria (IFZ Graz) and Slovenia (UIRS).

Local authorities, public administration schools and sustainable procurement experts interested in participating are invited to get in touch with the coordinating organisation or the local project partner.

Coordinator: Alliance in the Alps, Katharina Gasteiger:info@alpenallianz.org

Project Partner in Germany: agado – Gesellschaft für nachhaltige Entwicklung, Vivien Führ: vivien.fuehr@agado.org

photo: © Alliance in the Alps

 

_{Funded by the European Union. However, the views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the EACEA can be held responsible.}