The European Eco-Label Strategies for marketing and implementation on EU level

1. The European Eco-Label Strategies for marketing and implementation on EU level Dagmar Diwok Consultant to DG ENV /EU

2. DG Environment Mission Statement To promote Sustainable Development, preserving the rights of future generations to a viable environment. To work towards a high level of environmental and health protection and improvement of the quality of life. To promote environmental efficiency. To encourage the equitable use, as well as the sound and effective management, of common environmental resources.

3. Policy background The EU Ecolabel is part of a broader action plan on Sustainable Consumption and Production and Sustainable Industrial Policy adopted by the Commission on 16 July 2008. It includes a series of proposals on sustainable consumption and production that will contribute to improving the environmental performance of products and increase the demand for more sustainable goods and production technologies. It also seeks to encourage EU industry to take advantage of opportunities to innovate. The Council endorsed the Action Plan in its conclusions adopted on 4 December 2008.  A range of policies at EU and national level already support resource efficient and eco-friendly products and raise consumer awareness. The proposals complement these policy instruments and provide measures where gaps exist. These proposals are an integral part of the European Union's renewed Sustainable Development Strategy (EU SDS) which reinforces the EU's long-standing commitment to meet the challenges of sustainable development and builds on initiatives and instruments at EU and international level such as the United Nations' Marrakech Process.

4. Wider policy background The building blocks of the European Union's policy on sustainable consumption and production include: Integrated Product Policy (IPP) Thematic Strategy on the Sustainable Use of Natural Resources Thematic Strategy on Waste Prevention and Recycling Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) Ecolabel Scheme Environmental Technologies Action Plan (ETAP) Green Public Procurement (GPP) Eco-design of Energy Using Products Directive (EuP) European Compliance Assistance Programme - Environment & SMEs

5. Policies and Strategies Balancing protection and competitiveness The EU eco-label scheme helps citizens make environmentally sound purchases of a wide range of goods and services. The EMAS (eco-management and audit scheme) allows companies and service organisations to demonstrate their high environmental standards.

6. 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

7. 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)

8. The current situation of the European Eco-label Evolution of the number of licences since 1992 Since the European Ecolabel was established in 1992, the number of companies receiving the label has increased year after year. At the beginning of 2009, more than 750 companies were awarded the Ecolabel for their products. About 230 new companies were added to the Green Store Catalogue in 2008: 45% more than in 2007!

9. The current situation of the European Eco-label Number of licenses by producer country Italy and France have the greatest number of Ecolabel holders, with more than 240 and 140 licences respectively. They are followed by Denmark and Germany who each have more than 50 licences.

10. The current situation of the European Eco-label Distribution of award by product group The European Ecolabel is currently awarded to 22 categories of products. Tourist accommodation services represent 34% of the total number of licences. This is followed by all-purpose and sanitary cleaners (12%), with textile products and indoor and outdoor paints and varnishes each representing 10% of licences..

11. Who is in charge with the distribution of products and services with the “Flower” ? • National level (Competent Bodies) • PR, fairs etc. • Brochures etc. • EU level • Marketing Team • Helpdesk • Flower Week Campaign (Comp. Bodies)

12. Marketing Management Board (DG + DBs) Market research (Eurobarometer) Marketing studies and concepts Help desk Basic materials Basic information Big trade fairs Projects (Acquisition, Marketing, Flower Week, )

13. The “tools”

14. The Green Store www.eco-label.com

15. Marketing Guide • TARGET GROUPS • licence holders • interested companies • CONTENT • How to use the logo (company examples) • Campaign Example > Translations

16. Logo EN, DE, FR, ES, IT, RO, SK, TR, BG Poster EN, DE, FR, ES, PL, CZ, RO, TR Roll-up EN, FR, ES, PL Project Flyer Adhesive labels Basic tools for adaptation

17. Marketing tools for companies ..for example, hotels and camp sites: Certificate Door plate & Flag Ecolabel-logo digitally Marketing-Guide Press support (standard articles) Infoposter (printable) Give-aways (t-shirts, pens, lanyards…)

18. Basic marketing tools Project folder Promotion materials Starter-kit box with info materials Press-kit

19. NEW: Carrying Bags Alternatively as Paper Bag or Cotton Bag

20. EU Ecolabel for Textiles Consumer brochure

21. Information tools for the tourism EU Ecolabel

22. Marketing implementation EU level, tourism Promotions at important tourism fairs (ITB-Berlin, BIT-Milan…) Co-operations with tour operators (MyTravel…) Marketing packages with tour operators National Marketing support - CB Media and press activities Poster combo with all awardedcompanies Guest information (template)

23. The Ecolabel brochures

24. Where-to-stayposter combo for campsites trilingual poster: German, English, Italian

25. Languages available: English, French, German, Greek, Spanish, Italianothers The Eco-label Fact Sheet

26. Marketing of Eco-label for Tourist Accommodation &Camp Site Services • Tool-kit for applicants • Workshops & press activities • Active participation in tourism fairs • “Where to stay” guide • Website: www.eco-label-tourism.com

27. Eco-label Helpdesk(Bio Intelligence Service) Based in Paris Hosts Green Store (www.eco-label.com) Provides support for marketing activities (presence at Fairs, workshops, communication brochures, fact sheets) Coordination point for national Competent Bodies – Eco-label Flower Week Support (mid Sept – mid-Oct 2007) Supporting role for Marketing Management Group Contact Details: ecolabel@biois.com

28. Eco-label Helpdesk Flower Newsletter & News Alerts for websitehttp://ec.europa.eu/environment/ecolabel/index_en.htm

29. Examples for promotional events and campaigns

30. Best practice Flower event Graz Local quiz game Prizes: EL products Cooperation with bakery chain and newspaper Stand Quiz game at event Instant prizes: little products Info posters GiveAways: apples with green cards P.O.S. list

31. Flower artists attracting people

32. Consumer awareness The Flash Eurobarometer “Europeans’ attitudes towards the issue of sustainable consumption and production”(Flash No 256) was conducted in order to examine EU citizens’ knowledge and levels of concern about sustainable consumption and production. Regarding the EU Ecolabel, Almost 4 in 10 EU citizens in the survey had seen the EU Ecolabel, or had heard about it; nevertheless, only roughly a fifth (19%) said they have also bought products bearing the label. Awareness of the EU Ecolabel was the highest in Lithuania, Denmark and Estonia (between 49% and 51%) and the lowest in the UK, Italy and Sweden (between 26% and 31%).

33. Revision of the Ecolabel • While the scheme has been growing well over recent years, it is clear that more can be done to streamline its procedures. • The proposal for the revision of the EU Ecolabel regulation is expected to be adopted in autumn 2009. • The main changes introduced by the proposal are: • More product groups / quicker criteria development process / product group development by the Commission • Reduction of annual fees • Simplification of assessment procedure • More focus on the most significant environmental impacts of products, while keeping the ambition levels high

34. Revision of the Ecolabel • Other changes include: • Simplifying criteria documents: ensure they are more user-friendly and incorporate guidance for Green Public Procurement • Designing the Regulation to fit better with other sustainable production and consumption actions (e.g. allow for the development of criteria as part of wider eco-design/EuP projects, not always as stand alone exercise and use criteria as a guide for future minimum environmental performance standards) • Introducing measures to encourage harmonisation with other ecolabel schemes (where Ecolabel criteria are in place, national schemes developing the same product group for the first time must use them as a standard) • Opening up the scope of the label (to cover all products apart from those covered by organic labelling)

35. Revision of the Ecolabel • Targets: • 40/50 product groups by 2015 • Many more EU Ecolabel products on the shelves • Criteria documents which can easily be used by public purchasers • An Ecolabel that is very well harmonised with other labels, nationally and globally • An Ecolabel that can be attained by companies with limited costs and efforts for them while still maintaining a high ambition

36. Vă mulţumesc pentru atenţie! Dagmar Diwok dagmar@diwok.net http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ecolabel