The environmental NGO 'Green Freedom' has sent a letter to the Saeima, together with 19 other organizations from the Environmental Advisory Council, urging them to retain mandatory green public procurement (GPP) criteria. They warned that proposed amendments by the Ministry of Finance (FM) could weaken environmental and public health protections. Linda Zuze, a climate policy expert from 'Green Freedom', highlighted that changes accepted in the second reading on February 26 would move away from mandatory GPP requirements to a decentralized model promoting 'sustainable procurement'. This shift could potentially remove uniform environmental quality standards, according to Zuze.

Zuze further pointed out the significant role that public sector spending plays in Latvia's economy, as it accounts for around 22% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This emphasizes the importance of procurement as a tool for influencing market dynamics and environmental quality. The proposed amendments could undermine the progress made in ensuring that public procurement adheres to strict environmental criteria, which, according to the previously published impact assessment in December 2025, have shown beneficial outcomes for both the environment and public health.

If the Saeima adopts these amendments, it could lead to a fragmented procurement process with varied environmental standards across regions, potentially diluting the positive impacts achieved through the existing GPP criteria. The organizations involved believe that maintaining a cohesive and strong green procurement framework is crucial for the environmental integrity and health standards in Latvia, urging lawmakers to reconsider these proposed changes.