Background Public authorities are major consumers, spending around 16% of the EU’s gross domestic product. By using their purchasing power to favour goods and services that take into account environmental considerations, they have the potential to not only improve their own environmental performance, but even to influence the market for ‘greener’ goods and services itself. Green public procurement (GPP) can cover areas such as the purchase of energy-efficient computers, office stationary and furniture made of renewable or recycled materials, urban vehicles that run on alternative fuels, organic food for canteens, or electricity from renewable energy sources. Nevertheless, only a small minority of public organisations systematically include environmental requirements in their calls for tender and when selecting suppliers, service providers or contractors. To a great extent, this is due to a great lack of information on green goods and services among public procurement officers. Objectives The GPPnet project involved the creation of a green public procurement network with the participation of the Province of Cremona and 13 municipalities: Casalmaggiore, Castelleone, Crema, Gerre de Caprioli, Motta Baluffi, Pescarolo, Piadena, Pizzighettone, San Bassano, Soresina, Spineda, Stagno Lombardo, Vescovato. The project aimed to promote GPP among Italian public administrations, encouraging them to integrate environmental considerations into their procurement decisions and processes. Simple rules were to be introduced, stipulating, for instance, products with eco-labels, energy and water saving appliances, recyclable products, or environmentally certified suppliers. The public administrations involved sought to improve their own environmental performance, and to set an example so as to influence the behaviour of other organisations and individuals. Results The main results achieved by the project are as follows: • A 300-page handbook was published in print and on CD-Rom, containing general and background information on GPP, and describing the step-by-step introduction of environmental criteria into a public administration’s purchasing procedures. The major part of the publication is, however, comprised of a section containing a referential set of environmental criteria to be included in the calls for tender, together with relevant operational instructions and detailed forms. The environmental specifications for 189 goods and service were compiled from 14 existing ecological labels and from the guidelines established by competent bodies such as the US and the Danish environmental protection agencies. Easy-to-use, and open to future additions and updates, the handbook, which has been formally adopted by the municipal administrations involved in the project, is an excellent instrument for public administrations seeking to introduce GPP. • Politicians and executives across all departments of the Province of Cremona were made aware of the potential of GPP, so that they could, in turn, promote its dissemination within the administration. • Staff in charge of public purchasing was trained to identify products and services with lower environmental impacts, and to introduce environmental criteria into purchasing procedures without infringing existing laws and regulations. • Suppliers and service providers were kept informed of developments in the process towards GPP, so that they could take necessary actions to comply with upcoming contract stipulations. • With the assistance of the project, all the public administrations involved prepared calls for tender in different sectors (5 for furniture, 4 for services and 3 for public works). A tender for cleaning services was issued by the Province of Cremona during the project’s duration, while other public authorities purchased furniture, paper, or printers in accordance with the GPP manual’s guidelines. The Provincia of Cremona is expected to continue its GGP activities after the end of the LIFE funding. Based on the LIFE project, a National Working Group on GPP was established in Bologna in March 2005. Under the auspices of the Italian Agenda 21 Coordination agency (”Coordinamento Agenda 21 d’Italia”), it can be expected that the results of the GPPnet project will be disseminated to local and provincial governments throughout Italy. This project has been selected as one of the 21 "Best" LIFE Environment projects in 2005-2006