How to stimulate innovative and responsible public procurement?
1) A position paper aimed at strengthening sustainability and innovation in EU procurement rules
2) A survey designed to identify funding gaps that hinder strategic public procurement
Dive into the article to learn more and share your input through the survey.
Strengthening sustainability and innovation in EU procurement rules
As part of the action “Advocacy and Better Regulation”, the Urban Agenda Partnership on Innovative and Responsible Public Procurement has finalised its Position Paper, developed to contribute to the ongoing revision of the EU Public Procurement Directives.
This updated version is enriched with practical case studies to clarify and reinforce the Partnership’s key recommendations.
One notable recommendation is to strengthen the integration of circular economy, social responsibility, and sustainability criteria in public procurement processes. Currently, many public buyers remain cautious about applying such criteria due to a lack of specialised expertise and concerns about potential legal risks.
An inspiring example comes from the City of Vienna, which has implemented the EcoBuy programme, a robust municipal procurement framework grounded in circular economy principles. The programme includes over 100 criteria across 23 product and service categories, covering aspects such as recycled content, energy efficiency, repairability, and end-of-life management.
Discover more best practices and recommendations in the full Position Paper.
Survey on better funding for strategic public procurement
Under Action “Better funding to stimulate strategic public procurement”, the Partnership has launched a survey to assess current gaps in public funding mechanisms that support strategic procurement practices, including those with environmental, social, and innovation-oriented objectives.
Your input will help shape future recommendations and targeted support actions, such as stakeholder workshops and focus groups, aimed at helping you secure better funding to meet your procurement goals.
- Deadline to respond: 31 October 2025
- Join the survey here
To stay updated on the latest developments of the Partnership, visit the dedicated Partnership platform .