EU Ecolabel - How to apply

Producers, manufacturers, importers, service providers and wholesalers placing their products and/or services on the EEA (the European Union, Lichtenstein, Norway and Iceland) market can apply for the EU Ecolabel. Retailers can also apply for products placed on the market under their own brand name.

Yes, any product or service that is supplied for distribution, consumption or use in the EEA market can be awarded the EU Ecolabel, regardless of the origin of the product. The EU Ecolabel Regulation allows manufacturers, producers and retailers based in non-European countries to apply for the EU Ecolabel on the condition that they meet the criteria for their respective product group and that the product is sold in the EEA market.

The application can be made to the Competent Body of the country where the products are produced (if inside the EEA) or will be marketed (if outside the EEA).

Annex III of the new EU Ecolabel Regulation lays down the rules and limits for EU Ecolabel fees. Competent Bodies charge fees on an individual basis in accordance with the limits and rules set out in Annex III. Reductions are available for micro-enterprises and SMEs, companies from developing countries and companies registered under EMAS or certified under ISO 14001. 

Under normal circumstances, within two months of receiving an application, the Competent Body checks whether the documentation is complete and notifies the operator accordingly. After this, the applicant has six months to complete the documentation if necessary. If the application is not completed on time, the Competent Body may reject the application.

Some assessments and verifications of EU Ecolabel criteria require product tests. Specific assessment and verification requirements are indicated within each criterion. Where the applicant is required to provide declarations, documentation, analyses, test reports, or other evidence to show compliance with the criteria, these may originate from the applicant and/or their supplier(s), etc. as appropriate.

Competent Bodies should preferentially recognise attestations which are issued by bodies accredited in accordance with the relevant harmonised standard for testing and calibration laboratories, as well as verifications by bodies that are accredited in accordance with the relevant harmonised standard for bodies certifying products, processes and services.

Where appropriate, test methods other than those indicated for each criterion may be used if the competent body assessing the application accepts their equivalence.  Where appropriate, Competent Bodies may require supporting documentation and may carry out independent verifications or site inspections to check compliance with these criteria. Discover more about testing methods. A list of accredited laboratories for most European countries is available on the European Accreditation Corporation’s website.

According to Article 9 of the new EU Ecolabel Regulation, owners/managers of tourist accommodation or campsite services in non-European countries can apply for the EU Ecolabel. Their application can be made to the Competent Body of the EEA country where the services are or will be placed on the market, e.g. commercialised by a ‘tour operator’.

It is however obligatory for non-European applicants to have their services placed on the European market if they want to be associated to the EU Ecolabel. Otherwise, service providers are not entitled to apply for the EU Ecolabel.

Any company/business wishing to obtain the EU Ecolabel should contact and submit its application to the relevant Competent Body. The following should be considered:

1. If a product originates in an EEA state, the application should be presented to a competent body of that country;
2. If a product originates in several states within the EEA (in the same form), the application can be presented to a competent body in any one of the countries in which it originates;
3. If a product originates outside the EEA, the application should be presented to a competent body in any of the Member States in which the product is going to be placed on the market.

We encourage you to choose the product group of your interest among the different product and service groups that are currently covered by the EU Ecolabel scheme, to carefully read the associated EU Ecolabel criteria and to make sure that your product falls within its scope (normally the scope is indicated in Article 1 of each criteria set). Please consider also the user manual for your product group, it will help you in preparing the technical dossier. For a short overview of the criteria, you can also look at the Factsheets that are provided for each product group under the respective tabs in the full list of established product and service groups.

Depending on the product/service group, you may need to provide declarations, documents, data sheets and test results to prove compliance with the EU Ecolabel criteria. For more information about tests on products, see the question above, ‘Where can businesses have their products tested?’.

While the complete technical dossier should be sent to the relevant national competent body for assessment, an online application should also be notified to the Commission via the ECAT ADMIN Tool. For more information, please consult the dedicated ECAT User Manual for applicants.

You can also reach out to your national Competent Body (or check their national websites) for competent body guidance in the application process.

For more information on how to make an application, refer to the ‘How to apply for Ecolabel’ section.