What is the EU Ecolabel and is it suitable for my company's products or services?
What is the EU Ecolabel?
The EU Ecolabel is the official environmental label of the European Union, which is issued on a voluntary basis for products and services that are more environmentally friendly compared to alternatives in the same product group. The label is based on strict criteria that take into account the entire life cycle of the product. The Ecolabel helps consumers make more informed and environmentally sustainable choices and gives companies the opportunity to stand out through a reliable and independent assessment.
Important to know concerning this step
An ecolabel is a voluntary environmental label for products and services that indicates that a product or service meets the established criteria for reducing its overall environmental impact. The criteria depend on the product group and cover the entire product life cycle, from the procurement of raw materials to the disposal of the product.
The EU Ecolabel is governed by Regulation (EC) No 66/2010 and meets the definition of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) Type 1 Ecolabel. This means that the label is issued by an independent third party, which in Estonia is the Environment Agency, assessing the environmental impact of a product or service on the basis of strict criteria.
A comprehensive overview of the EU Ecolabel principles, application conditions and guidance materials is available on the Environmental Portal.
Further details and the full EU Ecolabel framework can be found on the official website of the European Commission. In addition, you can also find information about events and webinars that companies can participate in if they wish. Find out more here.
In Estonia, the Environment Agency is responsible for checking the compliance of the EU Ecolabel with the requirements and issuing the right to use the label. The institution can be contacted in case of general questions and for instructions and advice related to the application.
The specialists of the Environment Agency can be contacted by e-mail at [email protected]. In addition, specifying questions, comments or feedback can also be submitted via the contact form of the Environmental Portal.
EU Ecolabel products and services will have the official EU Ecolabel logo visible on the packaging or in the description – a flower-shaped symbol with stars on the EU flag. The label confirms that the product has undergone an independent assessment and meets strict environmental criteria.
Official EU Ecolabel logo: https://keskkonnaportaal.ee/sites/default/files/Teemad/Ringmajandus/%C3%96kom%C3%A4rgis/320px-EU_Ecolabel_logo.svg_.png
The logo must also be accompanied by the registration number of the EU Ecolabel.
xxxx stands for the country of registration, yyy stands for the product group and zzzzz stands for the registration number issued by the competent authority.
An addition to the EU Ecolabel, a number of other well-known labels are used to certify the environmental friendliness of products and services. They help consumers to distinguish between products that meet specific environmental and quality requirements, but can differ in terms of criteria as well as application principles.
You can find more information about the most common labels on the website of the Ministry of Climate, where you can find an overview of eco and environmental labels and links to additional information.
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.