At its meeting on 10 June 2008, the Board of Directors of the Electricity Authority of Cyprus approved the Organisation’s Action Plan on Green Public Procurement for 2008-2009.

The term “Green Public Procurement” refers to the inclusion of environmental considerations in Public Contracts drawn up for supplies, services and works by the Contracting Authorities, in accordance with the two laws (N. 11(I)/2006 and N.12(I)/2006) on the Coordination of Procedures for the Award of Public Works Contracts, Public Supply Contracts and Public Service Contracts, in order to ensure continuous progress on environmental issues by reducing the negative effects on the environment to a minimum while maintaining financial viability.

Green Public Procurement aims to minimize the risk to public health, natural resources and the environment. In particular, products accepted in the Green Public Procurement process should be more energy-efficient and less polluting or totally non-polluting compared with other competitive products serving the same purpose.

The EAC Action Plan comes within the framework of the broader National Action Plan, drawn up in accordance with the policy of the European Union on promoting sustainable development and approved by the Council of Ministers in March 2007.

The EAC Action Plan covers the full range of the Authority’s operations, i.e. the Generation, Transmission, Distribution and Provision of Electricity, and is subdivided into the following categories: 

• Office Equipment and Supplies
• Electrical Appliances and Products
• Cleaning and Sanitary Products
• Water Conservation
• Waste Management
• Environmental Protection
• Vehicle Fleet Maintenance
• Generation of Electricity
• Transmission of Electricity
• Distribution of Electricity

In each of these sectors a range of measures aimed at protecting the environment is in place. They include energy conservation (for example, through the bioclimatic design of buildings and the use of energy-saving systems), ways of reducing emissions in general and those from Power Stations in particular, the purchase of vehicles with low carbon dioxide emissions, the use of recycled and recyclable materials, the recycling of obsolete equipment and used paper, reduced paper usage, the use of environmentally friendly cleaning materials, etc.

The Action Plan comes into immediate effect.