EU Ecolabel

Selected publications

Selected EU publications

Assessment of the EU Ecolabel criteria for graphic paper and the EU Ecolabel criteria for tissue paper and tissue products – Commission Decision (EU) 2019/70

Delre, A. and Kowalska, M. A., Assessment of the EU Ecolabel criteria for graphic paper and the EU Ecolabel criteria for tissue paper and tissue products – Commission Decision (EU) 2019/70, Publications Office of the European Union, 2025, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2760/9027129

Publication metadata
The Commission performed an assessment to verify the continued suitability and relevance of the EU Ecolabel criteria for graphic paper and the EU Ecolabel criteria for tissue paper and tissue products (Commission Decision (EU) 2019/70). The result of the assessment reports that they are still up to date. However, the User Manual for the EU Ecolabel criteria needs to be updated to clarify some points that appeared unclear to the respondents of a questionnaire on the subject.

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The analysis strongly suggests revising the EU Ecolabel criteria set by Commission Decision (EU) 2019/70 in synergy with the potential future Delegated Act on paper products under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and after the revision of the Best Available Technique Reference document (BREF) for the production of pulp, paper and board, mainly to boost the uptake of the EU Ecolabel due to a synergic use of the Industrial and Livestock Rearing Emissions Directive (IED), ESPR and EU Ecolabel Regulation. The appropriate timing for starting the EU Ecolabel criteria revision will be clearer when the ESPR Work Plan is published (scheduled for March 2025). In the event that pulp, paper and board is not included in the first ESPR Work Plan, the EU Ecolabel criteria could be revised simply based on the knowledge derived from the BREF review.
The current implementation of the sustainable financial disclosure regulation (SFDR) – With an assessment on how the legislative framework is working for retail investors

European Parliament: Directorate-General for Internal Policies of the Union, Ramos Muñoz, D., Lamandini, M. and Siri, M., The current implementation of the sustainable financial disclosure regulation (SFDR) – With an assessment on how the legislative framework is working for retail investors, European Parliament, 2024.

The Sustainability-Related Financial Disclosures Regulation (SFDR) is the centrepiece of the sustainable finance strategy for funds and other financial products. However, its provisions are too complex, do not work as intended, and interact insufficiently with provisions shaping corporate reporting, indexes, or client preferences. A revised SFRD should include more recognisable product labels or categories, enable and foster transition investments, smoothly interact with corporate reporting, and expand the scope of disclosure obligations. This document was provided by the Policy Department for Economic, Scientific and Quality of Life Policies at the request of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON).
Development of a European label for Ultra Low Emissions Vehicles (ULEV)

European Commission, Directorate-General for Environment, Garbí, A., Pérez, A., Clarke, A. et al., Publications Office of the European Union, 2023.

The main objectives of this deliverable are, on the one hand, the review and analysis of the current existing real-world emissions databases and vehicle classification schemes with air quality relevance and, on the other hand, the discussion of a new concept scheme that would lead to better informed and discerning consumers and a better-functioning single market. This report is a study of existing vehicle emissions classification schemes and emissions databases in use today (May 2021) worldwide. It complements existing EU vehicle emissions regulations and provides information for policy makers considering clean air measures, whilst increasing consumer awareness about the impact of harmful emissions produced during real-world driving by vehicles currently on sale in the EU market (Euro 6d or later). The work was conducted during 2020 and 2021 by a consortium of European organisations with expertise in vehicle emissions to provide insight into the technical, communication and governance elements of classification schemes.

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The study presents best practices and areas of improvement from existing programmes to inform the development of a future comprehensive concept classification scheme for Ultra Low Emissions Vehicles (ULEVs), embracing the transition from the internal combustion engine (ICE) to electrified propulsion. An observation from reviewing 45 global sources (30 from Europe) of existing vehicle emissions data and classification schemes is that most use homologation data and, in many cases, only the CO2 or fuel economy data which are largely irrelevant to air quality impact. In European cities, where classification schemes are currently used to control vehicle access, Euro emissions stage data are the basis for air quality policies, which limits the resolution available on the real pollutant emissions from each vehicle.
Ecoreport tool – Manual

European Commission, Directorate-General for Environment, Garbí, A., Pérez, A., Clarke, A. et al., Publications Office of the European Union, 2023.

The Methodology for Ecodesign of Energy-related Products (MEErP henceforth) consists of a techno-economic-environmental assessment of a specific product group. This assessment is the main analytical step in the potential implementation of the Ecodesign Directive for a specific product group. Since 2013 the current MEErP methodology has been in use and considered fit for purpose. However, since time has already elapsed in this very dynamic field, the need for an update is apparent. The update of the MEErP put forth by the JRC at the request of DG GROW covers the following areas: 1) the updating of the EcoReport Tool; 2) a more systematic inclusion of material efficiency aspects and of environmental footprint/ecological profile aspects in the design options and in the LLCC curve; 3) a more systematic inclusion of societal life cycle costs; 4) a more refined evaluation of the economic impacts in task 7 of the MEErP.

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The present manual: - describes each worksheet of the revised Ecoreport tool, in the order as they appear to the users. The user can find, at the beginning of each section of this report, the references of cells, rows and columns in the excel file to help moving within the tool and describe its functionalities - explains how/which sections of the MEErP have been updated or replaced by this revision (the present document and the review of MEErP report 2024), starting from the version of the MEErP used at the time of drafting this document for preparatory and review studies.
The EU ecolabel has turned 30 – Discover some EU ecolabel milestones, fun facts and achievements

European Commission, Directorate-General for Environment, Publications Office of the European Union, 2023.

On 23 March 2022, the EU ecolabel officially turned 30! To commemorate three decades of achievements, many activities have been organised across Europe including social media campaigning, a mobile showroom and showcases. This brochure has been produced as part of these activities and provides a guided tour of the EU ecolabel’s background and history, including milestones, facts and figures, achievements and stories that have shaped the scheme along the way.
EU ecolabel – Better for you, better for the environment

European Commission, Directorate-General for Environment, Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.

98,977 products have been awarded the EU Ecolabel* and are available on the EU market. It is a reliable label that identifies products with a reduced environmental impact.
The EU ecolabel – Logo guidelines

European Commission: Directorate-General for Environment, EU ecolabel – Logo guidelines, Publications Office of the European Union, 2025, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2779/2151674

These guidelines are intended for EU Ecolabel license holders, competent bodies, applicants, journalists, publishing houses and other relevant stakeholders. They provide instructions on how to properly use the EU Ecolabel logo on any type of packaging, marketing material or publication. These guidelines are based on the EU Ecolabel regulation, Regulation (EC) No 66/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009, in particular on Article 9 (points 9, 11 and 13) and on Annex II to this regulation. The EU Ecolabel logo can be used on goods and services, and on their associated promotional material, exclusively during the validity period of the EU-Ecolabel-awarded license.
The EU ecolabel – Report

European Commission: Directorate-General for Environment, The EU ecolabel – Report, Publications Office of the European Union, 2023, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2779/463334

The EU Ecolabel is a world-renowned, voluntary scheme promoting goods and services that clearly demonstrate environmental excellence, based on standardized processes and scientific evidence. It was launched in 1992 to help consumers, retailers and businesses make truly sustainable choices. Today, it is one the biggest and best-known schemes in many EU countries.

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Whether paper, cleaning products, cosmetics, clothes, do-it-yourself materials or hotels, there is a growing list of green product groups now open to certification. 30 years after the launch of the EU Ecolabel, a Flash Eurobarometer survey was commissioned by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Environment to assess EU citizens’ awareness of the EU Ecolabel as well as their attitudes towards environmental labelling in general. Ipsos European Public Affairs interviewed a representative sample of citizens, aged 15 and over, in each of the 27 Member States of the European Union. Between 5 September 2023 and 13 September 2023, 26 635 interviews were conducted via computer-assisted web interviewing (CAWI), using Ipsos online panels and their partner network. Survey data presented in this report are weighted to known population proportions.
Identification of elements for a future "Strategy for the EU ecolabel”

European Commission, Directorate-General for Environment, Publications Office of the European Union, 2023.

The general objective of the present study is to support the implementation of the EU Ecolabel identifying elements for a future strategy. The project team performed a market analysis highlighting water, electricity, gas, transport recreation and culture services, food and non-alcoholic beverages, restaurants and hotels as the most consumed per household budget expenditure. The analysis on the attitude of consumers toward green products and services showed food, beverages and overthe- counter drugs, shoes and apparel, household appliances and electronics, lotions, detergents and creams, paper products, household detergents, mobility and financial services as the most frequently purchased.

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The comparative analysis between EU Ecolabel and other ecolabelling schemes identified cosmetic products, education services, meeting and events, restaurant and catering services, toner and cartridges and financial products as the most successful product groups of the other ecolabels. Through an analysis on the economic sectors with the highest environmental improvement potential, the project team recognised food, housing and transport as the most relevant. Based on these findings and using the results of the stakeholders’ consultation, the project team defined three future scenarios for the EU Ecolabel in addition to the Baseline Scenario. Through the assessment of the scenarios, the project team suggested to pursue a twofold strategy focusing in the short period (by 2023) on consumable goods with a health/well-being connotation and in the long period (by 2028) on food, housing, mobility, education, financial, recreation and cultural sector services. Lastly, the project team developed a methodology for the identification and the discontinuation of EU Ecolabel product groups. With respect to the methodology, the project team considered economic, environmental, social and political criteria with a specific focus on Circular Economy. The methodology was applied to a long-list of possible future product groups. The most favourable future product categories identified are products with a health/well-being connotation; financial, food and transport services; and construction and building-related products.
Review of the MEErP – Methodology for ecodesign of energy-related products

European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Eynard, U., Spiliotopoulos, C., et al., Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.

The Methodology for Ecodesign of Energy-related Products (MEErP henceforth) consists of a techno-economic-environmental assessment of a specific product group. This assessment is the main analytical step in the potential implementation of the Ecodesign Directive for a specific product group. Since 2013 the current MEErP methodology has been in use and considered fit for purpose. However, since 8 years have already elapsed in this very dynamic field, the need for an update is apparent. The current report depicts the proposal for update put forth by the JRC at the request of DG GROW. Areas covered are: 1) The updating of the EcoReport Tool; 2) A more systematic inclusion of material efficiency aspects and of environmental footprint/ecological profile aspects in the design options and in the LLCC curve; 3) A more systematic inclusion of societal life cycle costs; 4) A more refined evaluation of the economic impacts in task 7 of the MEErP.
A taste of excellence – Unlocking the value of EU food & drink for UK markets

European Commission: European Research Executive Agency, A taste of excellence – Unlocking the value of EU food & drink for UK markets, Publications Office of the European Union, 2025, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2848/5987046

This book is published as part of the ‘More than Only Food & Drink’ UK campaign, which promotes the best of European food and drink on the UK market. Through trade exhibitions, specialised seminars, roundtables, and innovation showcases, the campaign highlights ‘hidden hero’ products and fosters business opportunities between EU producers and UK buyers. From distinctive cheeses and artisan spirits to sustainably sourced meats, these hidden treasures offer exciting opportunities for retailers, wholesalers, and food service professionals.