Type I Eco-Labelling (ECOLABEL) and its importance

Type I ecolabelling (ECOLABEL) and its importance

Type I ecolabelling plays a crucial role in promoting sustainability and environmental responsibility worldwide. It involves a multi-criteria, voluntary process whereby products and services are assessed and certified according to their environmental impact throughout their entire life cycle.

Type I ecolabelling, often referred to as the Ecolabel, is a certification awarded to products and services that demonstrate minimal environmental impact throughout their entire life cycle. It is an essential element in an eco-labeling system designed to stimulate sustainable development by recognizing and promoting environmentally friendly products and services.

This label plays a key role in supporting a sustainable economy by encouraging the adoption of practices that are beneficial to both the environment and society.

Legal Context

Many countries and international organizations have adopted eco-labeling as part of their environmental policies. This helps to standardize environmental practices and harmonize regulations internationally.

Globally, there is an impressive diversity of voluntary eco-labeling schemes. These Type I ecolabeling systems are present on all continents. In Europe, ecolabeling through the EU Ecolabel, also voluntary and promoted through Regulation (EC) No. 66/2010, aspires to set a uniform standard. However, aligning it with other global systems is an ongoing challenge.

Eco-labelling plays an essential role in achieving the objectives set by the European Green Deal. Initiated by the European Commission, this deal aims to transform the European Union into a modern, competitive and resource-efficient economy.

It also aims to make the European Union carbon neutral by 2050 and to decouple economic growth from resource use. An intermediate goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the EU by 55%.

The European Green Deal encourages green and sustainable public procurement. In this context, Type I eco-labeling can prove to be a valuable tool in guiding the procurement decisions of government entities.

Recently, there has been growing interest worldwide in promoting Type I ecolabelling through public procurement. Public procurement accounts for a significant portion of government budgets.
By implementing sustainability criteria, including a preference for Type I ecolabelled products, governments can have a decisive impact in steering the market towards more environmentally friendly products and services. This approach influences not only the domestic market, but also international trade rules and practices.

In this international context, several legislative initiatives have emerged in Romania, including:

• Law no. 69/2016 – Green Public Procurement
• Order no. 1068/1652/2018 – According to Order 1068/1652/2018, issued by the Ministry of the Environment and the National Agency for Public Procurement, authorities and contracting entities have the right to request an Ecolabel for purchased products, as outlined in the technical specifications.

Applicability of EN ISO 1424:2018 certification

The EN ISO 14024:2018 standard provides a framework for recognizing and promoting products that meet high standards of environmental performance in various product categories. This helps consumers make more informed and environmentally friendly choices and supports sustainable production.

The importance of this standard is highlighted by the following aspects:
♦ multi-criteria labeling: holistic assessment of the environmental impact of products, including energy consumption, pollutant emissions, and resource use;
♦ third-party validation: the verification and approval process carried out by a third-party organization ensures objectivity and credibility;
♦ promotion of eco-friendly products: the rigorous criteria for awarding the Ecolabel encourage the production and marketing of sustainable products;
♦ consumer awareness: labels are designed to be easily recognizable and understandable, thus facilitating eco-friendly consumer choices;
♦ Encouraging producers: the EN ISO 14024 standard stimulates innovation and sustainable production among companies;
♦ Market differentiation: labeled products stand out in the market, offering a competitive advantage.

Role of SRAC in promoting sustainability

SRAC’s commitment to promoting environmentally responsible business practices is essential for supporting its clients’ sustainability objectives.