92003E0262

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0262/03

by Torben Lund (PSE) to the Commission

(5 February 2003)

Subject: Health criteria for award of EU eco-label

One of the aims of the EU's eco-label is to promote more environment-friendly production and consumption but the scheme can be improved in several respects. The Danish press reported on 23 January 2003 that consumers are surprised that products bearing the eco-label might well contain allergenic substances such as the preservative methyldibromo glutaronitrile.

The fact that the scheme focuses only on environmental criteria and does not take health issues into account in awarding the label is not, it is argued, in line with consumer expectations. Will the Commission therefore say what its future plans are for a revision of the eco-label scheme and whether it is aware of any investigations concerning problems with the awarding of the EU eco-label? Will the Commission also say whether it has carried out or intends to conduct surveys into consumers' and producers' wishes concerning the incorporation of health criteria and/or other factors into the scheme?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(6 March 2003)

The press article on which the written question is based does not reflect the nature of the Union eco-label accurately, since the scheme does take health issues into account. The eco-label criteria that have to be met for a product to be awarded the eco-label also cover, in most cases, health and safety aspects, such as not allowing the use of chemicals with health-related risks.

The Commission has, however, acknowledged that the health-related benefit of the Union eco-label needs to be highlighted and actively communicated to the European consumer. It is therefore envisaged to reinforce the health-related criteria in the various Decisions establishing the eco-label criteria for the different product groups and to improve communication on the combined health and environment quality advantages of eco-labelled products to the European consumers and other stakeholders. In addition, the Commission intends to reinforce the emphasis on health aspects when the eco-label Regulation comes up for revision in 2005.

Against this background, the Commission does not intend to conduct surveys into consumers' and producers' wishes concerning the incorporation of health criteria and/or other factors into the scheme. However, discussions with all relevant stakeholders in the Union Eco-labelling Board on the forthcoming revision have already been launched in order to obtain a comprehensive overview of their experience with the instrument and their views on future developments. These discussions will be stepped up over the next two years and should provide an important input for the revision of the scheme.