France’s National Action Plan on Green Procurement (2022-2025) was recently profiled in the May 2022 newsletter on Greening Procurement by the European Commission and is linked to the national law against waste and for the circular economy.

France’s National Action Plan on Green Procurement aims to include at least one environmental aspect in 100% of public procurement contracts. To achieve such an ambitious target, a set of 22 priority actions were outlined across five main areas: guidance, training, regional networks, best practice award, and monitoring. It includes measures such as:

  • Support public buyers with social and environmental facilitators;
  • Ensure a broader geographical coverage, with strengthened SPP regional networks;
  • Promoting tools to ease the identification of responsible suppliers (e.g. “marché de l’inclusion”);

·       Monitor progress towards those ambitious targets (qualitative and quantitative indicators will be developed based on existing ones) Learn more about the Action Plan here (in French only).

The national government will also develop training to support the implementation of the NAP, promote good practices and host sustainable procurement awards to recognize progress in implementation.  

At the local and regional level the government will strengthen networks and reinforce management tools to better monitor quantitative and qualitative indicators.

The NAP is linked with France’s National Roadmap on Circular Economy, as well as the “Law against waste and for the circular economy”, 2020, which requires that as of January 1, 2021, a part of the goods acquired annually by the central and local authorities must come from reuse or incorporate recycled materials (including office products such as laptops, paper, desk furniture, textiles, etc.). This law also prohibits the central public authorities as of January 1, 2022 from buying single-use plastic for use in the workplace and in workplace events.

One of the key guidance documents prepared by the national government is Guidance on Zero Plastic for Procurement (see link here, in French).

URLs

https://ec.europa.eu/environment/gpp/pdf/news_alert/Issue112_NewsAlert_May_2022.pdf

https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/PNAD-PAGEAPAGE-SCREEN(3).pdf

https://www.economie.gouv.fr/files/files/directions_services/dae/doc/guide_fin_plastique_a_usage_unique.pdf?v=1641455727

 

The European Union (EU) project on Reducing Plastic Waste in Canada