On September 20, 2026, the South Transdanubian Regional Innovation Agency organized the dissemination event in Pécs-Árpádtető under the CE-PRINCE (CE0200688) project, supported by the Interreg Central Europe program. The primary objective of the event was to highlight the importance and practical feasibility of Circular and Green Public Procurement (C/GPP) for both the public sector and private enterprises and any interested parties.
As an introduction to the event, the Diana Pazaurek, project manager STRIA, presented the CE-PRINCE project, whose main goal is to establish a transnational circular public procurement framework and strategy in Central Europe. The project is implemented through the collaboration of 10 partners ranging from Italy to Germany and focuses on four key sectors: agri-food, manufacturing, construction, and local maintenance & tourism infrastructure.
Following this, speakers outlined the European Union’s Green Public Procurement (GPP) framework in detail. Attendees learned about lifecycle-based, scientifically grounded, and verifiable environmental criteria. Special emphasis was placed on sustainable mobility and the procurement process for clean road vehicles, clearly illustrating how environmental criteria can be integrated into tender specifications.
As part of the professional agenda, detailed information was also presented on Hungary’s Green Public Procurement Strategy (2022–2027). The presentation highlighted the main target of the strategy: ensuring that by 2027, the proportion of domestic public procurements containing green criteria reaches at least 30%. The speakers drew attention to the practical tools and guidance provided by the Public Procurement Authority—including thematic green booklets, eco-label guides, and Life Cycle Costing (LCC) methodologies—which significantly facilitate preparation for both contracting authorities and bidders.
In conclusion, STRIA staff shared the experiences gained during the CE-PRINCE project activities to date. They emphasized that successful circular public procurement requires not only regulation but also adequate expertise, capacity building for market actors, and close professional cooperation.
STRIA will continue to actively support stakeholders in both the public and private sectors to ensure green public procurement becomes an integral part of everyday practice.