With help from the European Union (EU) funded EU4Environment programme and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Moldova’s Public Procurement Agency (PPA) with Ministry of Finance is promoting a shift in public spending towards more sustainable goods and services. Technical specifications based on sustainable criteria have been developed for five categories of products typically procured by public institutions - paper, vehicles, computers, fruit and vegetables, as well as energy-efficient windows and doors. This is being done under the broader goal of applying sustainability criteria in at least 15% of Moldova’s public procurements by 2026. This work also marks another step towards approximating Moldova’s public procurement legislation and procedures with EU practices, as mandated by the EU-Moldova Association Agreement.
To mark this important step towards Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) in the country, a high-level event was organized in Chisinau on 6 November 2023. The meeting was followed by training sessions for public institutions and businesses on sustainable procurement procedures – organized by PPA, the Ministry of Finance and UNEP. The participants discussed the status, legal framework, and prospects for promoting and implementing sustainable public procurement in the Republic of Moldova, highlighting the SPP's importance in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
„The Ministry of Finance recognizes the importance of sustainable public procurement in its public finance management strategy. With an annual procurement budget of approximately 20 billion MDL, the Government intends to promote policies that not only consider economic efficiency but also implement social and environmental policies” stated Vladimir Arachelov, State Secretary of the Ministry, adding that “the ultimate goal is to educate both economic operators and contracting authorities to think in a more sustainable manner, resulting in procured products and services that effectively meet sustainability standards and bring benefits to a multitude of final consumers”.
Similar training sessions will be organized in the northern and southern regions of Moldova, with a view to launching pilot government procurement tenders that include sustainability criteria. A total of 160 stakeholders will be trained by the end of 2023. In parallel, elaborated guidelines for SPP pilot tenders and the awareness-raising materials among the wider public, and consumers will ensure the importance and benefits of SPP are well communicated.
The “European Union for Environment” (EU4Environment – Green Economy) Action helps the Eastern Partnership countries preserve their natural capital and increase people's environmental well-being, by supporting environment-related action, demonstrating and unlocking opportunities for greener growth, and setting mechanisms to better manage environmental risks and impacts.
It is funded by the European Union and implemented by five Partner organizations - OECD, UNECE, UNEP, UNIDO, and the World Bank – over 2019-2024 period, with a budget of EUR 20 million.
EU4Environment website: https://www.eu4environment.org/
