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• Green Paper
  Green Paper

  noun

  a report presenting the policy proposals of the government, to be discussed in Parliament.
• green paper
  green paper

  noun

  (often capitals) (in Britain) a command paper containing policy proposals to be discussed, esp by Parliament

Green Paper

American  

noun

British.

1. a report presenting the policy proposals of the government, to be discussed in Parliament.

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green paper British  

noun

1. (often capitals) (in Britain) a command paper containing policy proposals to be discussed, esp by Parliament

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Etymology

Origin of Green Paper

First recorded in 1945–50; apparently so called from the color of the paper on which they are printed

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Green Paper green paper

The DWP said the future of Access to Work had been consulted on as part of the Pathways to Work Green Paper and it was "currently considering" its response to it.

From BBC ● Feb. 4, 2026

On Wednesday, the government published a new Construction Products Reform Green Paper setting out possible penalties for companies found to have breached safety obligations.

From BBC ● Feb. 26, 2025

A Green Paper - an early draft of a plan - should have been published more than a year ago but has been kicked down the line.

From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2018

The role of the UK's creative industries, which also includes theatre, architecture, broadcasting, fashion, museums, and galleries was recognised when the government unveiled its industrial strategy Green Paper in January for boosting the post-Brexit economy.

From BBC ● Apr. 14, 2017

That office promulgated first a Green Paper and then, after further hearings, a White Paper, on "Intellectual Property and the National Information Infrastructure."

From The Public Domain Enclosing the Commons of the Mind by Boyle, James

In December, the government published its green paper about options for the BBC's future, which said ministers would "consider the right make-up of the board to support independence and accountability".

From BBC ● Mar. 5, 2026

Huang speculates that might be because a green paper may appear in multiple repositories—institutional and discipline-based—whereas gold papers tend to appear in only one, the publishers’ website.

From Science Magazine ● Jan. 24, 2024

Trees and shrubbery made from green paper littered the rig, particularly on the helipad, where a farm thrived under a transparent cellophane biodome.

From Slate ● Dec. 16, 2023

British retailer Marks & Spencer apologised after posting a picture from its Christmas advert showing red and green paper hats in a burning fireplace that were compared to a Palestinian flag.

From Reuters ● Nov. 3, 2023

The gel has soaked through the green paper surgical cap, made a dark stain the shape of Africa.

From "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini