Making public procurement work for the circular economy

Public procurement is a powerful but underused lever for the circular economy: EU public authorities spend trillions of euros a year on goods and services, yet green criteria remain rare and competition in the waste management market has diminished over the past decade, limiting the investment capacity of private companies. These problems can be addressed through a) a pull for European recycled materials, and b) a guarantee of fair competition in the waste management market. With the Commission's new EU Public Procurement Regulation published in September 2026, this session brings together policymakers and practitioners to discuss what the reform means for competition, circularity and fair play in the waste and resource management sector.

Session Chair

Paolo Campanella, Secretary General, FEAD

Program

14.00 Welcome and opening speeches
Elisabetta Perrotta, Assoambiente
Herwart Wilms, President FEAD

14.15 Presentation on the new EU Public Procurement Regulation
Henning Ehrenstein, Head of Unit, Public Procurement Policy, DG GROW, European Commission

14.35 Panel Discussion on ‘A new public procurement framework: competition and circularity’
Henning Ehrenstein, Head of Unit, Public Procurement Policy, DG GROW, European Commission
Annemie Turtelboom, European Court of Auditors
Christof Delatter, Municipal Waste Europe
Christian Suhl, BDE

15.20 Closing remarks