Subplenaries 1 and 2 provided an arena for presenting and discussing how to put into practice the Clean Vehicles Directive and the Energy Efficiency Directive, two of the Directives that have procurement as key delivery mechanism. In addition, subplenaries 3 and 4 looked at the latest development of two prominent topics in procurement: social aspects and innovation procurement.

Room: Bauwens

This session addressed the benefits to public fleet operators and emergency services of adopting a clean vehicles strategy. Presenters provided an introduction to the latest developments of European policy and legislation in the vehicles sector. A series of good practice experiences, demonstrating how public authorities are succeeding in introducing clean vehicles into their fleets and the benefits which this can provide to the whole community were presented.

Facilitator:

• Eva Sunnerstedt, Project Manager, Clean Vehicles and Fuels, City of Stockholm, Sweden

Speakers:

• Kemal Önel, Policy Officer, Clean Transport and Sustainable Urban Mobility Unit, DG MOVE, European Commission - Presentation [PDF]
• Nicole Fletcher, Head of Sustainable Development, London Fire Brigade, United Kingdom - Presentation [PDF]
• Lies Helsloot, Project Manager, Facilities Management Services and Logistics Department, City of Ghent, Belgium

Room: Hubert Van Eyck

Public authorities can use their vast economic purchasing power to boost the market for innovative, energy efficient products, services and works. The aim is not only to help tackle climate change and reduce resource consumption, but also to find more efficient and cost effective solutions.

In recognition of this potential, the EU adopted a new directive on energy efficiency in October 2012, with the aim of achieving a 20% increase in energy efficiency by 2020. Amongst other aspects, this includes new obligations on Member States to:

•    ensure that central governments purchase only products, services and buildings with high energy efficiency performance and encourage public bodies, including at regional and local levels, to do likewise.

•    encourage public bodies, when tendering service contracts with significant energy content, to assess the possibility of using long-term energy performance contracts that provide long-term energy savings.

This session explored how this may be achieved in practice. Good practice examples of policies and procurement approaches were highlighted, specifically those that encourage energy efficiency, including energy performance contracting and offer the opportunity to discuss further measures needed to ensure the effective implementation of the Directive at the national and local level.  

Facilitator:

• Isa Maria Bergman, Group Lead, Sustainable public procurement, Motiva

Speakers and panellists:

• Jacek Truszczynski, Policy Officer Unit C3 - Energy Efficiency, DG ENER, European Commission - Presentation [PDF]
• Salla Koivusalo, Senior Specialist, Procurement Center, City of Vantaa, Finland
• Ines Becue, Head of Energy Services & Customer Services, Eandis, Belgium
• Beat Von Felten, Project manager, Department of health and environment, City of Zurich, Switzerland

Room: Van der Goes

What challenges do procureres face when purchasing socially responsible products, services and works? How can socially responsible public procurement (SRPP) be successfully implemented in public authorities? What experiences of social design of products and production chains can be replicated? These and other questions were addressed in this subplenary on mainstreaming fair and ethical principles in public procurement. SRPP was also introduced and discussed in light of the recently adopted EC Procurement Directives and the additional scope for social criteria and verification schemes.

Facilitator:

• Philipp Tepper, Coordinator, Sustainable Economy and Procurement, ICLEI, Germany

Speakers and panellists:

• Alexandra Hughes, Reader, University of Newcastle, United Kingdom - Presentation [PDF]
• Espen Skistad, Senior Procurement Manager, City of Oslo, Norway - Presentation [PDF]
• Tessa Wernink, Director of Communications, Fairphone - Presentation [PDF]
• Wouter Boesman, City Link Coordinator, City of Ghent, Belgium

Room: Jan Van Eyck

Europe has an enormous and overlooked opportunity to spur innovation using procurement. Moreover, public procurement of innovative products and services is vital for improving the quality and efficiency of public services at a time of budget constraints. Yet little public procurement in Europe is aimed at innovation, despite the opportunities under the EU procurement directives. This is due to a range of factors, such as: incentives that favour low-risk solutions; a lack of knowledge and capabilities regarding successful procurement of new technologies and innovations; and a disconnection between public procurement and policy objectives. This session addressed how EU policies can be used to stimulate the procurement of innovation.

Facilitator:

• Jackie Homan, Sustainability and Science City Manager, Birmingham City Council, United Kingdom

Speakers and panellists:

• Lieve Bos, Policy Officer, Innovation Unit, DG CONNECT, European Commission - Presentation [PDF]
• Floris den Boer, Economic Advisor, PIANOo, Netherlands - Presentation [PDF]
• Sara Bedin, Head of Public Administration Practice and, Head of Competence Center on Innovation Procurement, TEH-Ambrosetti - Presentation [PDF]
• Jeroen Veenendaal, Consultant for innovative and sustainable procurement, Erasmus Medical  Centre, Rotterdam, Netherlands - Presentation [PDF]
• Christophe Peeters, Deputy Mayor of Finances, Festivities, the Self-Employed and Innovation, City of Ghent, Belgium - Presentation [PDF]