Contratación pública sostenible: entre el derecho europeo y el nuevo código italiano

The choice to enter the sustainable development market is a common pro-cess that connects countries with different economic, cultural, and tradi-tional lifestyles from East to West, albeit with varying outcomes. The Euro-pean Union has integrated sustainability goals into its policies, strategies, and rules concerning public procurement. In this context, the Italian model is characterized by the innovative value of solutions adopted for green and socially sustainable contracts, directions now also favored by EU legisla-tors. The principle of do no significant harm (DNSH) is among the most promising tools for developing public contracts in support of decarboni-zation goals and, more broadly, the green transition. All these innovations depict an evolution in the European public procurement system, where its initial economic connotation plays an instrumental role in achieving the objectives of the European social pillar and ecological transition.