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How to apply

Step-by-step support for applying for an EU Ecolabel for your goods or services.

How to apply

Recognised across Europe and worldwide, the EU Ecolabel is a mark of environmental excellence awarded to products (both goods and services) meeting high environmental standards throughout their lifecycle, from raw material extraction to production, packaging, distribution and disposal.

Find EU Ecolabel leaflets translated in all EU languages here

Consult the full step-by-step application process below.

7- step application process

Step 1: Find the product group of your interest, check that your product is eligible, carefully read the criteria, explore your national Competent Body's website and contact them if more information is needed.

Step 2: Pre-Register your product (good or service) in the online EU Ecolabel catalogue (ECAT) or the EU Ecolabel tourist accommodation catalogue (products will be publicly displayed only once the application is approved). All licence holders are responsible for registering their goods and services in ECAT to ensure licence traceability. Please follow the instructions in the ECAT User Manual for applicants and license holders.

Step 3: Build your application dossier describing your good/service and providing all test reports and declarations/technical documentation requested by the criteria (consult our User Manuals for the relevant EU Ecolabel criteria).

Step 4: Submit your application, pay the application fee and wait for the assessment, providing additional info if requested in the meantime.

Step 5: Positive assessment by the competent body (after having solved all potential issues and having provided all missing documentation and/or integrations, if needed).

Step 6: Application approval and licence award by the Competent Body.

Step 7: Display the EU Ecolabel logo on your products and communicate about your EU Ecolabel goods and services.

Main considerations during the application

There is a large range of product groups currently covered by the EU Ecolabel scheme. Study the EU Ecolabel criteria for each group to be sure your product falls within its scope (as indicated in Article 1 of each criteria set).

Depending on the product/service group, applicants may need to provide declarations, documents, data sheets and test results to prove compliance with the EU Ecolabel criteria.

The following information should also be considered:

  • If a product originates in an EEA state, the application should be presented to a Competent Body of that country.
  • 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.
  • 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.

While the complete technical dossier should be sent to the relevant national Competent Body for assessment, an online application should also be created in the EU Ecolabel Catalogue (ECAT).  

All licence holders are responsible for registering their goods and services in ECAT to ensure licence traceability.

Fees

EU Ecolabel fees are set by each Competent Body within certain thresholds imposed by the EU Ecolabel Regulation. Special discounts on EU Ecolabel fees exist for SMEs, micro-enterprises, EMAS/ISO14001 registered companies and applicants from operators in developing countries, to reduce application costs. To find out the costs related to your specific EU Ecolabel application: download the latest fee table

If in doubt…

For procedural questions on the application, please contact your national Competent Body or consult their national website.

For information on the application system in ECAT please consult the ECAT user manual for applicants and licence holders or the EU Ecolabel helpdesk.

To help identify your product group, consult the respective factsheets in the full list of product and service groups.

For general questions about the EU Ecolabel scheme, for a first orientation and general questions about ECAT, feel free to contact the EU Ecolabel Helpdeskhelpdesk-eu-ecolabelatadelphi [dot] de (.)