How to apply for the EU Ecolabel
Preparation of the application
Before preparing an application, it is important to make sure that the product or service belongs to one of the product groups covered by the EU Ecolabel and that there are criteria for it. The preparation of the application begins with the company thoroughly assessing the compliance of its product or service with the EU Ecolabel criteria.
Before filling in the application form, the requirements established for each product group must be examined and the necessary evidence must be compiled, including the necessary tests, the collection of technical documents and the declarations of suppliers.
The guidelines and information sheets of the European Commission's product groups as well as the specialists of the Environment Agency, who can be contacted for advice and additional questions, are helpful in preparing the application.
If desired, it is also possible to use the support of the Environmental Investment Centre, which helps to cover various costs related to applying for the EU Ecolabel, such as advice, preparatory activities, testing in laboratories, etc.
Important to know concerning this step
If you have any questions about the EU Ecolabel criteria, the application process or the required documents, please contact theEstonian Environmental Agency's EU Ecolabel specialists.
Specialists can be contacted when preparing an application, specifying requirements, and assessing the suitability of a product or service. The specialists will provide instructions on how to prepare the documentation, prove compliance with the criteria, and the technical steps of submitting the application.
Questions can be submitted to the EU Ecolabel email address [email protected] or via the contact form on the Environment Portal.
Evaluating a product or service is the most important and time-consuming step in the application process. At this stage, it is necessary to check whether the product or service meets the criteria of the EU Ecolabel and to gather all the required evidence. This includes carrying out the tests mentioned in the criteria, collecting supplier declarations, technical documents and other materials that prove that the product or service complies with the requirements of the EU Ecolabel.
When choosing a test laboratory, you must follow the instructions prepared by the competent authorities, which can be found here. A list of accredited laboratories in most European countries is available on the website of the European Accreditation Corporation.
The current criteria and guidelines for all product groups are available in the Environmental Portal.
If you need help in bringing your product or service into compliance with the EU Ecolabel criteria or in preparing an application, you can apply for support from the Environmental Investment Centre's circular economy programme.
Preparatory activities to help bring a product or service into compliance with the requirements of the EU Ecolabel will be supported, including the involvement of a consultant or mentor, testing and the preparation of other necessary documentation.
The preparation of documentation is an important step in the process of applying for the EU Ecolabel, as it demonstrates the compliance of the product or service with the established criteria. When preparing the application, you must follow the requirements set out in the user manual of your product group and collect all necessary evidence, including test results, technical documentation (e.g. safety data sheets and raw material declarations), supplier confirmations, self-declaration, photographs and other relevant data.
You will then need to fill in the EU Ecolabel application form, which is available on the European Commission's website by product group.
The completed form and evidence provide the competent authority with an overview of the compliance of the product or service with the requirements and serve as the basis for processing the application and the decision to award the label.
The time it takes to prepare documentation depends on the complexity of the product or service, the volume of tests required, and how quickly all the evidence required by the criteria can be gathered. Typically, preparation can take anywhere from 6 months to a year, especially if additional tests need to be carried out or suppliers need to be consulted.
References
Contacts
In case of any questions or to get advice, please contact the Estonian Environmental Agency. The Environmental Agency acts as the competent authority for the EU Ecolabel in Estonia.