1. European Commission – DG ENV
The EU ECO-LABEL in Green Public Procurement
Athina Koutroumani
Brussels, 29 September 2005

2. What is the Flower? Created in 1992 Voluntary
Valid across EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein
Covers goods and services (not food and drugs)
Type-I environmental label: certified by independent third party, not a self-claim
Transparent process: multi-stakeholder

3. The Flower...
... distinguishes environmentally friendly, high quality products
... helps consumers and purchasers to find green products easily
... guarantees reliable information
... offers competitive advantage to producers of eco-labelled products

4. Wider policy background
2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg
Jo’burg Plan of Implementation:
“Adopt on a voluntary basis effective, transparent, verifiable, non-misleading and non-discriminatory consumer information tools to provide information relating to sustainable consumption and production”

5. Wider policy background
6th Environmental Action Programme “Our future, our choice” :
“Encourages the uptake of eco-labels that allow consumers to compare environmental performance between products of the same type”
Eco-labelling is part of the Thematic Strategy on the sustainable use of resources
Relevant to waste prevention policy

6. Wider policy background
Integrated Product Policy (IPP)
Is based on Life Cycle Approach to minimise environmental impacts
Requires participation of stakeholders
Provides for a variety of tools to be used
The eco-label is one such tool!

7. Links with other instruments
Environmental Public Procurement: use criteria set out by the Scheme when defining performance-based or functional environmental requirements
Environmental Technologies Action Plan (ETAP): design and implementation of performance targets
Eco-design of Energy-using Products: designing the implementing measures
Community Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS)
Directive on Eco-design of Energy using products

8. Who is in charge? European Union Eco-labelling Board
European Commission
Member State level: Competent Bodies
Criteria development
Award
Interest groups: environmental NGOs, consumers’ associations, SMEs...
Industry

9. How does it work? Criteria development Defined for each product group
Multi-criteria
Participation of interested groups
Based on Life Cycle Considerations
Formal adoption by the European Commission (Commission Decision)

10. How does it work? Flower labelled Product/Service:
Certified good environmental quality and guaranteed technical performance
Generates less environmental impacts on air, water, soil and human health throughout its life cycle, from raw material extraction to end of life (“from cradle to grave”)
Added value: usage cost generally lower than average

11. How does it work? Awarding process for Manufacturers
Promotion / Marketing
Compliance monitoring
Eco-label award for one or more products
Evaluation of application
Submission of application

12. Criteria defined for 23 Product Groups
Achievements
Criteria defined for 23 Product Groups
Household appliances (4)
Detergents (4)
Bed mattresses
Textiles
Footwear
Indoor paints & varnishes
Hard floor coverings
Soil improvers
Lubricants
Personal computers
Portable computers
Televisions
Light bulbs
Tissue paper
Copying paper
Tourist accommodation
Campsites

13. Achievements In the pipeline Wooden furniture Heat pumps
Soaps and shampoos
Printed paper

14. Achievements 2000 2004 2005 (to date)
15 product group criteria established
53 companies
17 million articles bearing the Flower
38 million euro ex-factory sales
2004
23 product group criteria established
226 companies
Estimated 400 million articles bearing the Flower
Estimated 700 million ex-factory sales
2005 (to date)
260 companies

15. Achievements: number of licences

16. Achievements: articles sold

17. Achievements: ex-factory sales value

18. Achievements: awards per Product Group
Textiles
Paints & varnishes
Tourist accommodation service
All-purpose & sanitary cleaners
Soil improvers
Hand dishwashing detergents
Tissue paper
Laundry detergents, Footwear
Dishwashing detergents
Bed mattresses, Copying paper
Campsite service
Hard floor coverings
Dishwashers, Refrigerators, Light bulbs, TVs, Lubricants
Portable&Personal computers, Washing machines, Vacuum Cleaners 0

19. Achievements: awards per country
Italy
Denmark
France
Spain
Sweden
Greece
The Netherlands
Austria
Germany
Portugal
Belgium, UK
Norway, Finland
Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland
Cyprus, Estonia, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovakia, Slovenia

20. Marketing / Promotion Targeted Marketing activities aiming at…
Raising the level of awareness
Encouraging businesses to apply for the EU eco-label
Eco-label Campaign 2004
Phase 1: contact new potential manufacturers to apply for the EU Eco-label
Phase 2: European Flower Week in October 2004
Participation in Fairs & Trade Events

21. Marketing / Promotion Helpdesk http://www.europa.eu.int/ecolabel/
Very thorough information
E-catalogue:
Aimed at consumers
Focused on tourism
Information material
Leaflets
Newsletter
Info-kits
Mouse pads, bags, T-shirts...

22. EU Eco-label in GPP
The Public Procurement Directives (2004/17/ EC and 2004/18/EC) explicitly allow you to use the underlying specifications of eco-labels when defining performance-based or functional environmental requirements, provided that:
the specifications are appropriate for defining the characteristics of the supplies or services covered by the contract;

23. EU Eco-label in GPP
the requirements for the label are based on scientific information;
the eco-labels are adopted with the participation of all stakeholders, such as government bodies, consumers, manufacturers, distributors and environmental organisations;
they are accessible to all interested parties.
The EU Eco-label meets all these requirements.

24. How to use the EU Eco-label in GPP
The online catalogue Green Store
You can easily locate all eco-labelled products per country per category on the Online catalogue Green Store
Currently available in 11 languages of EU-15
250,000 hits per month
Thus, you can directly know the size of the market of potential suppliers.

25. Search engine

26. Example of a product page

27. Example of a completed retailers list

28. How to use the EU Eco-label in GPP
In the elaboration of the technical specifications
In order to define the characteristics of the products or service considered,
you can directly cut and paste the relevant EU Eco-label criteria into the technical specifications
The EU Eco-label will be allowed as a way of proving compliance with the specifications.
Remark: Contracting authorities cannot require tenderers to be registered under a certain eco-label scheme.
When issuing a call for tenders for products covered by the EU Eco-label scheme,

29. How to use the EU Eco-label in GPP
Example: call for tenders of all-purpose cleaners
Go to the all-purpose cleaners page of the Eco-label web site:

30. How to use the EU Eco-label in GPP
A summary of the criteria can be found in the general description of the product group
The complete criteria are available in all the EU languages

31. How to use the EU Eco-label in GPP
The EU Eco-label can also be used as a benchmark against which to assess offers at the award stage.
Example: call for tenders of light bulbs The EU eco-label criteria for light bulbs require that they should have an average life-span of hours. When reflecting this in a call for tender for light bulbs, hours could be set as the technical specification for the minimum life span, and a bonus point could be given in the award criteria for every hours over and above
Provided they give an economic advantage (usually related to the product, not its production). e
e.g. Yes for energy consumption related criteria
No for emissions related criteria

32. Success Stories
The city of Dunkerque, France (Group of 18 municipalities, inhabitants, Number of employees : agents): procurement of ecological detergents.
Political act: adoption of a commitment relative to sustainable development in public procurement
General approach:
The city of Dunkerque, France, recently worked on procurement of ecological detergents.
Before issuing the call for tenders, the city studied the environmental criteria of the EU Eco-label for all-purpose cleaners and made a research on the availability of potential suppliers of products complying with some or all the criteria.
The 8 suppliers identified were asked to provide samples of their products, so that employees could test them.
Employees were very enthusiastic about the direct benefits linked to the use of these products, including the especially lack of respiratory and skin irritations. Results were also very positive regarding the efficiency of the products.
Following these positive results, the city issued its call for tenders, including several Eco-label criteria in the technical specifications.

33. Success Stories Reasons for choosing this product category:
Test tender (all purpose cleaners, window cleaners…)
Existence of ecological criteria
Identified environmental issues
Limitation of water pollution
Characteristics inserted in the technical specifications:
High biodegradability rate
Natural substances
Limitation of the use of hazardous substances for the environment and health (based on the DID-list)
The city of Dunkerque, France, recently worked on procurement of ecological detergents.
Before issuing the call for tenders, the city studied the environmental criteria of the EU Eco-label for all-purpose cleaners and made a research on the availability of potential suppliers of products complying with some or all the criteria.
The 8 suppliers identified were asked to provide samples of their products, so that employees could test them.
Employees were very enthusiastic about the direct benefits linked to the use of these products, including the especially lack of respiratory and skin irritations. Results were also very positive regarding the efficiency of the products.
Following these positive results, the city issued its call for tenders, including several Eco-label criteria in the technical specifications.

34. Success Stories Used reference
European Eco-label (some criteria)
Demand of samples to test the efficiency of the products
Results
Necessity to divide the tender into lots, to ensure SMEs will answer
No over-cost
Very positive feedback from employees: efficiency and lack of respiratory and skin irritations
The city of Dunkerque, France, recently worked on procurement of ecological detergents.
Before issuing the call for tenders, the city studied the environmental criteria of the EU Eco-label for all-purpose cleaners and made a research on the availability of potential suppliers of products complying with some or all the criteria.
The 8 suppliers identified were asked to provide samples of their products, so that employees could test them.
Employees were very enthusiastic about the direct benefits linked to the use of these products, including the especially lack of respiratory and skin irritations. Results were also very positive regarding the efficiency of the products.
Following these positive results, the city issued its call for tenders, including several Eco-label criteria in the technical specifications.

35. EU Eco-label activities in GPP
Production of leaflets about the use of the EU Eco-label in GPP
Guidelines on EU Eco-label in GPP (under development).
Presentation/training material on EU Eco-label in GPP (under development).
Establish contact with networks like Sustainable Cities, Eurocities, ACRR and CEMR, ICLEI, UK National Audit Office and other GPP networks
Case studies on the implementation of GPP on a local level (e.g. city of Angers)
ICLEI—Local Governments for Sustainability
ACRR (Association of Cities and Regions for Recycling)
CEMR (Council of European Municipalities and Regions)
Local institutions having implemented an Agenda 21 programme

36. Other Type-I Eco-label Schemes
Other national eco-label schemes in the EU:
Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway run the "Nordic Swan"
The German Eco-label -"Der Blaue Engel"
The Austrian Eco-label - "Umweltzeichen"
The Hungarian Eco-label
The Czech Republic Eco-label…
At a Global level....
.... the Global Eco-labelling Network - GEN - is a non-profit making association, founded in 1994 to improve and develop the eco-labelling of products.
The Flower is in co-operation with the national eco-labels

37. For more information http://europa.eu.int/ecolabel www.eco-label.com

38. Thank you for your attention!
Any questions?