The European debate on public procurement is moving beyond slogans and into substance. The core question is no longer simply how to support European industry, but which principle should guide public spending: geographic preference or environmental performance.
An article published by EconomiaCircolare.com highlights the position of the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), set out in its paper “Made with EU Green Criteria. Why ‘Buying Sustainable’ can future-proof EU industry.” According to the EEB, prioritising “Buy European” purely on the basis of origin may not be sufficient. The real issue is not where products are made, but how they are made and which environmental and social standards they meet. The organisation argues that public tenders should systematically integrate strong, verifiable green criteria capable of shaping supply chains and industrial strategies.
From this perspective, “Made in EU” gains strategic meaning only if it is aligned with robust environmental and social requirements across the entire value chain. Competitiveness, in this view, depends less on geography alone and more on the quality and sustainability of production.
This position fits into the broader discussion surrounding the proposal for a BESA – Buy European and Sustainable Act, which aims to strengthen the strategic role of public procurement in supporting European industry while embedding sustainability requirements. The key challenge is not to frame origin and sustainability as opposing options, but to define a regulatory framework that integrates both. The ongoing revision of the EU Public Procurement Directive will be a decisive test of the Union’s ability to align industrial policy with climate and environmental objectives. The debate remains open and directly concerns public authorities, businesses and European policymakers.
The full article is available on EconomiaCircolare.com:
