The European ecolabel - advantages and perspectives for development in Romania

• Author: Albu, R. G. - Chitu, I. B.
• Position: Dept. of Economic Sciences and Business Administration, Transilvania University of Brasov
• Pages: 9-14

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov • Vol. 5 (54) •No. 2 - 2012

Series V: Economic Sciences

THE EUROPEAN ECOLABEL –

ADVANTAGES AND PERSPECTIVES FOR

DEVELOPMENT IN ROMANIA

R. G. ALBU1 I. B. CHIU1

Abstract: The ecological label has been implemented by the European

Commission in 1992 in order to encourage the market of products and

services with low negative impact on the environment. This paper presents

the concept of European ecolabelling, the main types of ecolabels and the

process of request and achievement of the European ecological label. In

Romania, the European ecolabel helps companies consolidate their positions

before customers, in accordance with the commitment for consumers and

environment protection and sustainability.

Key words: European ecolabel, environmental protection, types of

ecolabels, impact on environment, company image.

1 Dept. of Economic Sciences and Business Administration, Transilvania University of Braşov.

1. Introduction

Ecolabels may be linked with various

environment attributes, which may include

health issues, impact on the atmosphere or

different types of impact on the

environment and industry issues. The

labels allow consumers to comparatively

analyze the products and services in order

to choose the ones they prefer.

The Romanian law defines the ecolabel

as "a graphic symbol or short textual

product description applied on products or

which is to be found in a brochure or other

informative document which accompanies

the product and which provides

information on maximum three types of

impact on the environment generated by

the product or service in cause".

(Government Resolution no. 189/2002).

Representing the result of a long

expertise, the ecolabelling linked with the

inspection and certification procedures

leads to an increase of requests for

recyclable and sustainable products.

The ecological label or the “ecolabel

certificate” became a symbol of

environmentally friendly products and

services.

The ecological label has been

implemented by the European Commission

in 1992 in order to encourage the green

products market and it represents a unique

scheme of certification that helps

consumers distinguish the "eco",

environmentally friendly products/services.

The number of ecolabeled products and

services (with the European ecolabel) has

significantly increased. In 2011, more than

1,300 licences were awarded. Today more

than 17,000 products and services have EU

Ecolabel (fig 1). A licence gives a

company the right to use the EU Ecolabel

logo for a specific product group [2].