Eco Labels

An Eco-label is a market-based, voluntary labelling standard that has as a two-fold purpose:

• to promote the design, production, marketing and use of consumer products and services that have a limited environmental impact during their entire life-cycle, and
• to provide consumers with better information on the environmental impacts of products and services, to help them make informed environmental choices in their purchases.

The manufacturers or retailers usually receive the right to use the Eco-label on their products if they meet Eco-label criteria. Criteria are set for different product groups. One product group will include products with a similar function (e.g laundry detergents). Criteria cover the whole life cycle of a product, from the extraction of raw materials, through manufacturing, distribution, use and disposal of the product. The licence to use the Eco-label is usually given by an independent, national competent body/assessment body.

There are many different national and regional labelling schemes, run by governments, private companies and non-governmental organizations, but all can be categorised according to the three basic types of labels described in the ISO 14020 series (14020 to 14025).

The EU Eco-Label was launched in late-1992. The strength of this label is its European dimension - once approved by a member state, the labelled product can be used throughout Europe, which eliminate costly and duplicated applications. The criteria are seen as benchmarks and stimulate change, even if companies do not apply for the label.

There are also many synergies with standardised environmental management systems (e.g ISO 14001 or EMAS):

• Applicants to the EU Eco-label scheme who have already received certification under EMAS or ISO 14001 can be granted reductions of up to 25% on the annual fee
• Competent Bodies are advised to take into account the implementation of recognised environmental management schemes, such as EMAS or ISO 14001 while assessing applications and monitoring compliance with ecological criteria

Successful companies are entitled to display the Eco-label's flower logo, shown below 

For more information about EU Ecolabel, visit the EU website.