To achieve this goal, consumers are provided with an easy and direct way to identify environmentally responsible products and/or services, supported by accurate, non-misleading, and scientifically based information.
This label addresses the environmental effects of a specific product or service throughout its life cycle, from the extraction of raw materials to its final disposal. Therefore, for companies that strive to obtain the European Eco-label, it serves as a tool to address the main environmental impacts associated with their products and/or services, and consequently, improve the organization's environmental performance.
The objective is to promote products and services that have lower adverse environmental impacts compared to other products in the same category, thereby contributing to the efficient use of resources and a high level of environmental protection while always ensuring equal or superior quality compared to their competitors in the market.
The achievement of this objective is completed by providing consumers with information on the proper and optimal use of the product/service through its labelling.
The European Ecolabel (EEA) is represented graphically by a green stemmed flower topped by the letter “e” and the stars of the European flag.
This logo is a distinctive symbol of environmental quality to promote products and services that respect the environment.
This logo must also be accompanied by the certificate number assigned by the competent authority.
The certificate numbers are represented as follows:
Any operator (producer, manufacturer, importer, service provider, wholesaler, or retailer) of goods or services supplied for distribution, consumption, or use in the community market and that have developed environmental criteria for this purpose.
The goods and services for which environmental criteria have been developed are:
Personal care products:
Cleaning products and services:
Clothing and textiles:
Paints and varnishes:
Electronic equipment:
Coatings:
Furniture and mattresses:
Gardening products:
Lubricants:
Paper products:
Tourist accommodations:
The European Commission has two official catalogues, one for products (including indoor cleaning services as well) and another for tourist accommodation.
On the other hand, the competent authority currently maintains an updated search engine of companies and products/services that have been granted the European Eco-label. This search engine can be found in the section “European Eco-Labels granted in the Basque Country” of this website.
This tool is an official system for the recognition and environmental identification of products and services, characterized by being reliable, rigorous, and voluntary. This provides numerous benefits both to the companies themselves and to the buyers of these products and services, whether they are end consumers or entities, both public and private.
Benefits for companies
Benefits for users
ESTABLISHMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE VOLUNTARY EU ECO-LABEL SYSTEM - REGULATION
- Regulation (EC) No 66/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 on the EU Ecolabel
ENVIRONMENTAL APPLICATION CRITERIA
The environmental criteria that each category of products/services must meet for the granting of the European Eco-label are established in their respective Commission Decisions.
Each of these Decisions is available on the European Commission's website:
The processing of the European Eco-label is carried out comprehensively (from application to contract signing) through the Sistema de Environmental Information and Processing System, Ingurunet.
The following manuals describe how to approach the different phases of processing the European Eco-label, both for products and tourist accommodations.
DOCUMENTS TO BE ADDED AVAILABLE:
As explained in these manuals, it is highly useful to refer to the "user manuals" for each category developed by the European Commission when preparing the technical documentation for the file. These manuals are available for each category on the following link.
If you need clarification or have any questions about the Ingurunet systems and their operation, you can call the following phone number: 012 (if calling from the CAPV) or +34 945 018000 (if calling from outside the CAPV), during telephone service hours from 08:30 am to 2:00 pm.
You can also send your inquiry via email to the following email address ingurumena@euskadi.eus, indicating your contact telephone number and the reason for your inquiry.
- Department of Industry, Energy Transition and Sustainability, Basque Government.
- Deputy Ministry for Environment. Environmental Administration Directorate.
Annually, the order is published to announce the grants provided for in Decree 202/2015, of October 27, which regulates subsidies to companies for carrying out investments aimed at environmental protection.
These grants are usually published during the month of June, and the application period is typically one month from the day following the publication of the Order in the Official Gazette of the Basque Country. The grants are awarded during the month of December.
Information available at: https://www.euskadi.eus/gobierno-vasco/tramites-servicios/
The following is to be considered:
The provided information is directly obtained from the Environmental Information and Processing System (Ingurunet), which allows for different filtering and search criteria to be established.
The European eco-label search engine in Euskadi is available on the following website: https://apps.euskadi.eus/web01-apinguru/es/ab38aInformesWar/informeEEE/maint?locale=es
It is important to differentiate between certificates granted and products that have the European ecolabel.
A company will have a single certificate for each category of products/services, and each certificate will include all the products that the company has processed and successfully resolved for that specific category. There may be companies that have multiple certifications if they have products with the European eco-label in various categories.
Based on data drawn from the European Commission's catalogue of products and services with the European Ecological Label - ECAT (EU Ecolabel: Ecolabel Products - European Commission (europa.eu)), and data that the competent body itself manages, annually the "2022 REPORT OF RESULTS European Union Ecolabel and EMAS registration BASQUE COUNTRY" is published. In this report, in addition to the companies, certificates and products awarded in the Basque Country, a comparison is made with other autonomous communities.
As of December 31 2022, there are currently 58 licenses granted in the Basque Country out of a total of 289 licenses granted at state level, which represents 20% of the certificates.
As can be seen in graph 1, the Basque Country is positioned as the 2nd autonomous community in terms of the number of licenses granted, with a representation percentage of 20%, behind of Catalonia.
If we take as a reference the number of products with the European eco-label by autonomous communities, as can be observed in Graph 2, the Basque Country has 405 products with the European eco-label, out of a total of 289 at the national level.
In this case, the Basque Country would move to the third position among the autonomous communities in terms of the number of products, with a representation percentage of 14%, behind the Catalonia and Aragon.
- Product Environmental Labeling
- Product Environmental Declaration
- Practical Guide on Using Environmental Certifications in Public Procurement and Purchasing
- Guide to Using the Logo
- Implementation Guide for Products/Services (including interior cleaning services)
- Implementation Guide for Accommodations
- Web of the European Commission with information on the European eco-label: https://ec.europa.eu/environment/ecolabel/
- Official catalogues of European Union eco-label products:
- Product catalogue: http://ec.europa.eu/ecat/
- Catalogue of tourist accommodation: http://ec.europa.eu/ecat/hotels-campsites/en
- Website of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge: https://www.miteco.gob.es/es/calidad-y-evaluacion-ambiental/temas/etiqueta-ecologica-de-la-union-europea/
Typically, this period is 12 months from the date of adoption of the new criteria, although its duration may vary depending on the product group. Additionally, licence holders are allowed to sell their existing stock of products that comply with the old criteria for an additional 6 months.
However, specific deadlines for each product category are established in their respective Decisions or extensions.
They are usually valid between 3 and 5 years. This period of time is determined in the Commission Decision in force for each product category.
The ecological criteria are reviewed or their validity is extended for a period of time before their expiration. If the criteria are revised, the license holder must renew his/her contract. If the criteria are extended, the license agreement will be automatically renewed.
The complete list of products and companies with the European Ecolabel from the Basque Country, Spain, and Europe can be found in the official catalogs of the European Commission:
- Product catalogue: http://ec.europa.eu/ecat/
- Catalogue of tourist accommodation: http://ec.europa.eu/ecat/hotels-campsites/en
These catalogues allow searches based on different criteria such as certificate number or product/service category. Additionally, searches can be performed based on the company name or the country where the eco-label has been granted.
In the case of the Basque Country, the list of Basque companies with a European Ecolabel and their products/services can also be found directly on this website, "Products and services with a European Ecolabel in the Basque Country".
Every application for an eco-label certification is subject to the payment of a fee. This fee varies depending on the size of the company and whether or not it has an environmental management system in place. These fees are annually regulated by the “Law on Fees and Public Prices of the Basque Autonomous Community Administration”.
Additionally to this annual fee, no other annual fees need to be paid.
The fees for the financial year 2020 are:
- General eco-label fee: 334.53 euros
- Reduced eco-label fee (SMEs, ... ): 218.65 euros
- Bonuses: 30% if you have EMAS
- 15% if you have ISO 14001
Not necessarily, they can even be more affordable, but they guarantee the added value of respecting the environment and complying with very strict environmental standards while maintaining, at the very least, the same quality as other products in the market.
Yes. It can also be sold in the countries of the European Economic Area. Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein).
Yes. These renewals must be carried out when the product group criteria are renewed through a new Decision. If an extension is established in the validity of the criteria, no action is required by the company, and the granted label remains valid.
The label should also be renewed if either the product or the company itself has undergone substantial modifications that require a new review of the criteria.
IHOBE, Public Environmental Management Company. Basque Government.
 Internet:
euskadi.eus |
 Telephone number:
012 |
 Face to face (previous appointment)
Zuzenean Offices |
If you encounter any issues with electronic processing, you can contact the User Support Center at the following phone number: 945 01 68 38.
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