The EU Eco-label

1
The EU Eco-label
European Commission - DG ENV
Working Plan 2002-2004 UNICE - UEAPME 24 June
2002
2
European Eco-label

• European 18 countries, public, extensive
  consultation
• Eco-label multi-criteria, life-cycle based
• 3rd party certified independent competent
  body
• Voluntary instrument
• Products bearing the Flower have a better
  environmental performance

3
Objectives / Means

• Reduce the environmental impact of products
• Promote sustainable consumption
• Help consumers make informed choices maintain or
  increase the market share of eco-labelled
  products, producers improve their products in
  order to qualify
• Serve as a reference of environmental excellence
  public and private procurement, product
  development, target for EMAS companies, energy
  rebates, fiscal measures, compliance with
  essential requirements, Type III and II labels,
  benchmarking, (indirect benefits of the
  eco-label)

4

• 2000
• 15 product group criteria established
• 37 companies
• 17 million articles bearing the flower
• 38 million euros sales value (ex-factory)
• 2001 (provisional)
• 19 product group criteria established
• 96 companies (150 increase in 18 months)
• 54 million articles bearing the flower
• 119 million euros sales value

5
The Eco-label Working Plan ? 2002-2004 ?

• Strategy for the development of the scheme
• Objectives for market penetration and
  environmental improvement
• List of Priority product groups
• Plans for cooperation and coordination with
  national labels (product group development
  and marketing)

6
Objectives for market penetration

• 25 annual increase of value / number of
  eco-labelled items
• achieve minimum visibility in 2/3 of Member
  States by 2005
• more than 50 consumers to recognise logo
• increase number of product groups (25-35 by
  2007)
• develop qualitative and quantitative
  evaluations of direct and indirect benefits
• target retailers, public procurement officers,
  ...
• ...

7
Product group development marketing
promotionby the Commission

• 15-20 product group Decisions per year
• targeted marketing actions
• information material
• help desk (ecolabel_at_cec.eu.int)
• website (http//europa.eu.int/ecolabel)
  (75,000 hits per month)
• 10 year anniversary event

8
10th anniversarymarketing event

• Provisional plan
• 400 participants (Commissioner, press,
  retailers, award holders, industry, NGOs, MS,
  )
• Exhibition of eco-labelled products
• Presentation of diplomas by the Commissioner
• Press session with the Commissioner

9
Successful marketing and promotion campaign in
DENMARK 2001

• Joint action for Flower and Swan
• In coordination with Danish textile industry
• 800,000 (TV, brochures, press, )
• Increase in knowledge of flower (up from 4
  to 40 in the target group)
• applicants up from 5 to 19
• reinforcement on-going

10
Eco-Label Management Structures

• EC policy, secretariat of EUEB, co-ordination,
  adopt criteria Decisions, marketing, ...
• Regulatory Committee criteria Decisions
• EUEB (Competent Bodies, Interest groups)
  draft criteria Decisions, management
• policy
• marketing
• cooperation and coordination

11
Policy management group ?

• Develop and implement long term policy
• Integrate the eco-label in wider policy
  debates
• Develop synergies with type III labelling,
  EMAS and other types of labels and
  environmental product information
• Manage the resources and long-term financing
• Prepare the revision of the scheme (2005)
• ...

12
Co-operation Co-ordination
management group ?

• Co-ordinate product group development
• Develop joint marketing activities and
  information to consumers
• Examine possibilities of mutual recognition and
  mutual fee reductions
• ...

13
Marketing management group ?

• Identify key target groups, define and
  implement strategy , develop marketing
  resources
• Exchange information about marketing actions,
  where eco-labelled products are sold, ...
• Initiate joint actions and joint promotional
  material
• Promote the use of eco-label criteria in public
  and corporate procurement
• Develop strategic partnerships with retailers
• ...

14
19 Product Groups

• Detergents (4)
• Paper (2)
• Paints, varnishes
• Textiles, footwear
• Appliances (3)
• PCs, Portables, TVs, Lightbulbs
• Soil improvers, growing media
• Hard floor coverings
• Mattresses, (furniture)
• (Tourist accomodation)

15
107 Companies (6/2002)

• Textiles 38
• Paints varnishes 28
• Soil improvers 7
• Dishwashing detergents 6
• Tissue paper 8
• Bed mattresses 4
• Footwear
  4
• Laundry detergents 3
• Copying paper 2
• Refrigerators 2
• Hand dishwashing detergents 2
• Hard surface / sanitary cleaners 1
• Dishwashers 1
  
• Personal computers 1
• Light bulbs 1

16
107 Companies (6/2002)

• Denmark, France 22
• Italy 20
• Spain 13
• Greece
  9
• Sweden 8
• Portugal 3
• Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, UK 2
• Ireland, Finland 1
  
• Austria and Luxembourg 0

17
Links with other policy areas

• IPP (wider labelling, greening public
  procurement, ...)
• water quality (textiles, paper, detergents, )
• air quality (paints, paper, textiles, )
• consumer health and safety (textiles,
  detergents, )
• climate change (appliances, paper, ...)
• waste (appliances, mattresses, soil improvers,
  paper ..)