In this project, EPG serves as a supporting national partner, delivering project activities in Romania and, to some extent, addressing topics relevant to the Central and Eastern European industry. The goal is to continue raising awareness of the role of green public procurement in creating lead markets for decarbonised industrial materials, with particular focus on the steel and cement sectors in Romania and across CEE, where large-scale infrastructure projects are underway.

In light of the Clean Industrial Deal, the Industrial Accelerator Act, the revision of the Public Procurement Directives, and the implementation of Romania’s National Programme on Green Public Procurement 2025-2030, EPG aims to conduct research, capacity-building activities, and stakeholder engagement to promote industrial decarbonisation, the strategic use of green public procurement, the development of labels for low-carbon steel and cement, as well as carbon accounting tools. Under this project, EPG also aims to focus on public and private funding mechanisms that can incentivise the transformation of the steel and cement industries, while monitoring whether green and social conditionalities are included in public funding streams. Other de-risking instruments – such as Carbon Contracts for Difference, blended finance, long-term guarantees, and sustainability-linked loans – will also be explored.

Sabina Strîmbovschi

Team Lead