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European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency
News article13 October 2022European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency

Happy World Ecolabel Day and 30 years of the EU Ecolabel!

30 years of the EU Ecolabel

It's not only the LIFE Programme that is celebrating a significant milestone in 2022.

Today, more than 50 countries worldwide are celebrating World Ecolabel Day to honour credible ecolabels that are members of the Global Ecolabel Network. The so-called Type-I ecolabels are awarded to goods and services that meet high environmental standards throughout their life cycle.

Through these third-party verified ecolabels, industry can offer genuine and reliable eco-friendly alternatives to conventional products, empowering consumers and public buyers to make informed choices and play an active role in the green transition. Choosing and promoting ecolabelled products contributes to the biggest environmental challenges of our time identified in the European Green Deal.

Several Type – I ecolabels exist worldwide. Among them is the EU Ecolabel, the official voluntary ecolabel for environmental excellence of the European Union, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Over the past 12 years, the number of EU Ecolabel products has more than quadrupled, reaching almost 90 000. These products can be found on the EU market and span 24 product groups that range from detergents, cosmetics, textiles, paper products, paints and varnishes. They also include services such as tourist accommodation and indoor cleaning services.

The EU Ecolabel's increasing success demonstrates a growing interest from businesses, citizens and retailers in green products and the green transition. This success can also be accredited to the strong engagement of its stakeholders, the EU Ecolabel' heroes'. To mark its 30th birthday and to pay tribute to its heroes, the EU Ecolabel this year came up with something special: the Showroom on Wheels, an EU Ecolabel-branded Europe tour in the summer of 2022. The Showroom started in Brussels with pit stops in Germany, Estonia, Hungary, Czechia and Luxembourg.

Today, the Showroom is back in Brussels, just in time for World Ecolabel Day, and it is displayed in the Berlaymont building, the 'heart' of the European Commission, until 14 October. In November, the Showroom will visit the European Parliament to continue showcasing environmental excellence and engaging new stakeholders in the green transition.

Several LIFE projects actively support the EU Ecolabel. They include:

LIFE CIRCforBIO - A circular economy system for multi-source biomass conversion to added-value products

LIFE I'M-TAN - LIFE Innovative Modified Natural Tannins

LIFETAN - Eco-friendly tanning cycle

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