Manifesto for establishing minimum standards for public canteens across the EU

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.

On 27 and 28 May 2026, Forum Compraverde Buygreen returns to Rome at WeGil. It is the leading national and European event dedicated to Green Public Procurement (GPP) and sustainable purchasing policies, promoted by Fondazione Ecosistemi. The 2026 edition marks both a symbolic and substantive milestone: the 20th edition of the States General of Green Public Procurement, taking place at a crucial moment for Europe, as the revision of the EU Public Procurement Directive and the reshaping of European industrial and climate policies are underway. The 2026 concept translates into two days, twenty thematic events and twenty concrete solutions: an operational atlas of the transition, not simply a conference programme.

Public procurement as a strategic lever for the European Green Deal.
On 13 January at the European Parliament, the event “Buying European and Sustainable is Good Value for Public Money” brought Italy’s more than ten years of mandatory Green Public Procurement experience to Brussels. Promoted by Fondazione Ecosistemi as part of the BESA – Buy European and Sustainable Act campaign, in cooperation with MEP Nicola Zingaretti (S&D Group), the event brought together European institutions, policymakers, businesses and civil society to discuss the role of public spending in driving the ecological transition, strengthening European industrial value chains and creating quality jobs, ahead of the revision of the EU Public Procurement Directive.