Eco-label for Tourist Accommodation Service31/07/03 / cata_european-union-news

As of May 1, 2003, any tourism operator - from a large hotel chain to a small farmhouse - can apply for the Community Eco-label under the above Commission decision ("Decision") implementing Regulation no. 1980/2000 on revised Community eco-label award scheme ("Regulation").

This is the first time the European Commission has adopted a decision establishing ecological criteria for a services sector. In order to be awarded the Eco-label under the Regulation, the service provided must fall within the product group of tourist accommodation service (as defined in the Decision), and must comply with defined ecological criteria. These are divided into mandatory criteria, all of which must be complied with, and optional criteria, only a number of which must be complied with. The aim of the criteria is to reduce the main environmental impacts of the three phases of the service cycle, i.e. purchasing, provision of service and waste. The mandatory criteria include the use of renewable energy sources, an overall reduction in energy and water consumption, measures to reduce waste, environmental policy setting and the provision of non-smoking areas. In order to obtain the Community Eco-label, a number of optional criteria must be complied with, each of which has been awarded score points, the minimum number of points required being 16.5. The award of the Eco-label is subject to payment of an initial single fee as well as of an annual fee, micro-enterprises and mountain huts being eligible to substantial reductions.

European consumers have long relied on the Eco-label to help them find environmentally friendly products. The Community Eco-label scheme was established in 1992 (regulation (EEC) No. 880/92 superseded by the Regulation) to promote products (and services) with a reduced environmental impact by allowing manufacturers that have been awarded the Eco-label to display the "Flower" logo on their products. Eco-label products are checked by independent bodies ("Competent bodies") to ensure that they comply with strict environmental performance criteria. There are currently 21 different product groups, including textiles and footwear, detergents, household appliances, paper products, paints. Work on other product groups, such as printed paper and campsites, is ongoing. More than 141 companies have been awarded licences so far, covering several hundred different products. Over the last two years, sales of eco-labelled items have risen by more than 300". The highest Eco-label rates so far have been achieved in France, Denmark, Italy, Greece and Spain.

As the Treaty of Accession does not provide any transitional period, Eco-label rules must be implemented in future Member States upon accession.