Public procurements of non-polluting vehicules in Romania: from legislation to practice

Abstract

The paper analyses how public institutions in Romania comply with the requirements imposed by legislation in public procurements of vehicles. The research question aims to determine the extent to which contracting authorities comply with these criteria within public procurement procedures. To answer this question, a document analysis of several procurement procedures carried out between 2022-2024 was conducted, using the information available in the Electronic Public Procurement System (SEAP). Both the technical aspects outlined in the specifications and the contract values, the types of vehicles targeted, and the evolution of ecological requirements over time were analyzed. The results show that most of the analyzed procedures comply with the provisions of legislation, but there are also cases of partial compliance, where CO2 emissions are not clearly specified or are vaguely expressed. Over the course of the three years, a positive trend of clarification and improvement of environmental requirements is observed, as well as a significant increase in interest in hybrid and electric vehicles, especially in 2024. The paper highlights the importance of rigorous monitoring of ecological compliance, as well as the need to develop public policies tailored to the value of contracts and the capacity of institutions.