Project to support the evaluation of the implementation of the EU ecolabel regulation : synthesis report

This study aims to review the implementation of the EU Ecolabel since 2000. Considering the performance of the EU Ecolabel to date, the topics investigated through this work were whether the EU Ecolabel contributes to the promotion of products with high environmental performance as a standalone consideration, what the role of the EU Ecolabel is in relation to other policy tools, and how it performs in relation to other labels, noting the key differences. In respect to the potential value the EU Ecolabel offers to its different stakeholders, the study sought to find out how aware they are of the different aspects of the label, whether they trust it and believe it delivers its objective, and whether they consider it to be effective and efficient in its implementation. Looking to the future of the EU Ecolabel, the questions concerned how stakeholders see the scheme could develop and, if it remains relatively similar, where greater efficiency might be achieved. This study feeds into the Fitness Check of the EU Ecolabel and EMAS Regulations, and consequently the findings of the study have been considered in the context of the five key elements of the Refit analysis: Effectiveness, Efficiency, Coherence, Relevance and EU Added Value. The work then goes on to provide a first preliminary assessment of the impacts of possible changes to the programme.