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EU Ecolabel or EU Flower is a voluntary ecolabel scheme established in 1992 by the European Union.
| | This article needs additional citations for verification .(September 2014) |
EU Ecolabel or EU Flower is a voluntary ecolabel scheme established in 1992 by the European Union.
The label includes a green flower with inclined green "ϵ" (Greek epsilon) as the flower, surrounded by 12 blue stars. On EU Ecolabelled products, it must always be used together with the license number. [1] Because of the logo, the label has a nickname EU Flower.[ citation needed ]
The implementation of the EU Ecolabel is set through Regulation (EC) No 66/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Its management is carried out by the European Commission and the national competent bodies. There is a competent body in each European Economic Area member state. [2]
The EU Ecolabel is part of a broader EU Action Plan on Sustainable Consumption and Production [3] and Sustainable Industrial Policy adopted by the European Commission on 16 July 2008, [4] which also links the EU Ecolabel to other EU policies such as green public procurement (GPP) and Ecodesign of energy-using products. [5]
EU Ecolabel meets the ISO 14020 Type I requirements for ecolabels. The EU Ecolabel criteria are developed and reviewed in cooperation of experts, industry, consumer organisations and environmental NGOs. EU Ecolabel criteria have been formulated for more than 30 non-food and non-medical product groups [6] that are reviewed every 3–5 years. The label applications and licenses are managed by the national competent bodies.
In addition, the European Commission confirmed that EU Ecolabel criteria have been changed with a new set of ecological criteria for computers (personal, notebook and tablet computers), furniture and footwear, in order to promote the Europe's transition to a circular economy, supporting the sustainable production and consumption in the region. [7]
In October 2021 the European Commission adopted new criteria for cosmetics and animal-care products. According to the new criteria, not only 'rinse-off' products like body wash, shampoo and conditioner can apply for the label, but all cosmetic products can. This includes oils, creams, skin-care lotions, sunscreens, deodorants and anti-perspirants, hairstyling and make-up products. [8]
In March 2016, there were 36,395 products that were awarded EU Ecolabel. The countries with most EU Ecolabel licences were France (26%), Italy (18%), and Germany (12%). [9] EU Ecolabel has a strong position in most of the European countries and other ecolabelling schemes are triggered to take a position concerning the overlap with EU Ecolabel, for example Nordic ecolabel that in the Nordic countries is more popular than EU Ecolabel. In Germany, the Blue Angel is very common. [10]
In a 2013 survey, Denmark was shown to be the top country in Europe where consumers recognise the EU Ecolabel and know what it stands for, with 35% of consumers recognising it visually and 17% of consumers knowing its meaning. [11]
In early 1990s, the US, Canada and several other countries criticized the EU Ecolabel's product life-cycle analysis scheme, extra emphasis on usage of recycled materials by the products, and lack of transparency. EU Ecolabel had responded by adjustment of its assessment standards in 1996. [12] Some decisions by EU Ecolabel, such as ban on imports of seal skins, furs caught using leg-hold traps, and Malaysian food, were criticized for their supportive nature of local European industry and allegedly unfairly putting foreign product makers at disadvantage. [12] Similar trade barrier concerns were raised by US package goods industry in 1996. [13]
The most recent revision of the label entered in force in February 2010. Some of the goals were to provide for a more rapid criteria development for specific product categories, to harmonise the EU Ecolabel with other ecolabels and to minimize the costs of the process, as well as to simplify the application procedure.
The European NGOs and consumer organizations see the EU Ecolabel as "a powerful instrument in encouraging environmental improvements in industry and in helping consumers make informed purchasing decisions". [14]
Environment friendly processes, or environmental-friendly processes, are sustainability and marketing terms referring to goods and services, laws, guidelines and policies that claim reduced, minimal, or no harm upon ecosystems or the environment.
Ecolabels and Green Stickers are labeling systems for food and consumer products. The use of ecolabels is voluntary, whereas green stickers are mandated by law; for example, in North America major appliances and automobiles use Energy Star. They are a form of sustainability measurement directed at consumers, intended to make it easy to take environmental concerns into account when shopping. Some labels quantify pollution or energy consumption by way of index scores or units of measurement, while others assert compliance with a set of practices or minimum requirements for sustainability or reduction of harm to the environment. Many ecolabels are focused on minimising the negative ecological impacts of primary production or resource extraction in a given sector or commodity through a set of good practices that are captured in a sustainability standard. Through a verification process, usually referred to as "certification", a farm, forest, fishery, or mine can show that it complies with a standard and earn the right to sell its products as certified through the supply chain, often resulting in a consumer-facing ecolabel.
The Blue Angel is an environmental label in Germany that has been awarded to particularly environmentally friendly products and services since 1978. The owner of the label is the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety.
The Global Ecolabelling Network (GEN) is a non-profit network composed of some 29 ecolabel organisations throughout the world representing nearly 60 countries and territories, with two associate members and a growing number of affiliate members, one of which is Google. GEN members have certified over 252,000 products and services for environmental leadership. GEN was established in 1994.
The Nordic Ecolabel or Nordic swan is the official sustainability ecolabel for products from the Nordic countries. It was introduced by the Nordic Council of Ministers in 1989. The logo is based on the logo of the Nordic Council adopted in 1984 which symbolises trust, integrity and freedom. The Nordic Swan covers 67 different product groups, from hand soap to furniture to hotels.
An eco hotel, or a green hotel, is an environmentally sustainable hotel or accommodation that has made important environmental improvements to its structure in order to minimize its impact on the natural environment. The basic definition of an eco-friendly hotel is an environmentally responsible lodging that follows the practices of green living. These hotels have to be certified green by an independent third-party or by the state they are located in. Traditionally, these hotels were mostly presented as ecolodges because of their location, often in jungles, and their design inspired by the use of traditional building methods applied by skilled local craftsmen in areas, such as Costa Rica and Indonesia.
Friend of the Sea is a project of the World Sustainability Organization for the certification and promotion of seafood from sustainable fisheries and sustainable aquaculture. It is the only certification scheme which, with the same logo, certifies both wild and farmed seafood.
EKOenergy is a globally active nonprofit ecolabel for renewable energy. It is owned by the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation and managed in cooperation with other environmental NGOs.
Sustainability standards and certifications are voluntary guidelines used by producers, manufacturers, traders, retailers, and service providers to demonstrate their commitment to good environmental, social, ethical, and food safety practices. There are over 400 such standards across the world.
Sustainable products are products either sustainably sourced, manufactured or processed and provide environmental, social, and economic benefits while protecting public health and the environment throughout their whole life cycle, from the extraction of raw materials to the final disposal.
The International Chemical Secretariat (ChemSec) is a non-profit environmental organisation founded in Sweden in 2002 to advocate in favour of stricter regulatory controls on potentially hazardous chemicals and to work with businesses on reducing the production and use of hazardous substances in their products and supply chains. ChemSec receives about 25 percent of its funding from the Swedish Government, the rest comes from foundations, mainly in the EU and the US, as well as from individuals. ChemSec maintains the SIN List, identifying hazardous substances likely to be restricted under EU REACH regulation.
Environmental certification is a form of environmental regulation and development where a company can voluntarily choose to comply with predefined processes or objectives set forth by the certification service. Most certification services have a logo which can be applied to products certified under their standards. This is seen as a form of corporate social responsibility allowing companies to address their obligation to minimise the harmful impacts to the environment by voluntarily following a set of externally set and measured objectives.
Galaxolide is a synthetic musk with a clean sweet musky floral woody odor used in fragrances. It is one of the musk components that perfume and cologne manufacturers use to add a musk odor to their products. Galaxolide was first synthesized in 1965, and used in the late 1960s in some fabric softeners and detergents. High concentrations were also incorporated in fine fragrances.
The European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR) aims to counter illegal logging and associated trade in timber and timber products in the member states of the European Union, and ultimately contribute to sustainable management of forests and reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation beyond EU borders. The EUTR establishes obligations on 'operators' who place timber and timber products on the market and on 'traders' who buy or sell timber or timber products already on the internal market.
The term cosmetic packaging is used for containers and secondary packaging of fragrances and cosmetic products. Cosmetic products are substances intended for human cleansing, beautifying and promoting an enhanced appearance without altering the body's structure or functions.
EC Regulation 1223/2009 on cosmetics sets binding requirements for cosmetic products that have been made available on the market within the European Union. Manufacturers of products that fall under the category or cosmetics are required to abide by this regulation as they prepare their initial release of products and while continuing to sell said products within the Member States of the EU.
Made in EU was proposed by the European Commission in 2014. The Made in the EU label would indicate the product is mainly made in the European Union.
The EU taxonomy for sustainable activities is a classification system established to clarify which economic activities are environmentally sustainable, in the context of the European Green Deal. The aim of the taxonomy is to prevent greenwashing and to help investors make informed sustainable investment decisions. The Taxonomy covers activities contributing to six environmental objectives: climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation, the transition to a circular economy, pollution prevention and control, sustainable use and protection of water and marine resources, and protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems. The Taxonomy came into force in July 2020. The UK is working on its own separate taxonomy.
France's anti-waste law for a circular economy was passed in an effort to eliminate improper disposal of waste as well as limit excessive waste. This law is part of Europe's larger environmental activism efforts and builds on previous laws the country has passed.