Sustainable procurement means effective procurement of goods, works or services with improved environmental performance and taking into account the value of the procurement item during its life cycle. That is, it is a modern European approach to procurement, which includes:

• green public procurement;
• application of non-price criteria for evaluation of bids of procurement participants;
• valuation of the product at the cost of the "life cycle".

"Currently, Ukraine has a well-established system of public procurement. However, the introduction of sustainable public procurement will help not only save public resources but also achieve larger goals: investment attractiveness, increased exports, loyalty to foreign markets and a green economy," said the Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine Ihor Petrashko.

To this end, the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture, together with UNEP (United Nations Environment Program), is implementing a project to strengthen Ukraine's capacity for sustainable public procurement and environmental labeling. Within the framework of the project, it is planned to develop a policy to promote sustainable public procurement and the eco-labeling system, as well as to develop the capacity of the business sector in the context of responding to tenders and access to eco-labeling.

Besides, the World Bank's Green Public Procurement Development in Ukraine project was recently approved. Within the scope of the project, it is planned to develop a methodology for green public procurement, consultations with customers and centralized procurement organizations, creating an Internet platform for customer training.

"The introduction of green procurement as a policy tool will allow Ukraine to achieve key economic goals by creating demand for innovative products, services and goods that have the least impact on the environment throughout their life cycle," added Ihor Petrashko.