WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/CTE/W/114
31 May 1999
(99-2181)
Committee on Trade and Environment Original:  English
INTERNATIONALLY AGREED DEFINITIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL LABELING
WITHIN THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR STANDARDIZATION (ISO) AND
RELATED WORK
Communication from the ISO
At meeting of the Committee on Trade and Environment of 18-19 February 1999, the
European Communities requested the International Standardization Organization (ISO) to provide an
update of its work on international standards for environmental labelling (WT/CTE/M/20).  The
following information has been submitted by ISO in response to that request.
___________________
This note has been prepared in response to suggestions made by some delegations, at the meeting
of the Committee on Trade and Development (CTE) held on 19 February 1999, that definitions agreedinternationally through the ISO due process be submitted for information and consideration for use by
the CTE.
I. INTRODUCTION
1. In ISO, the technical subcommittee entitled ISO/TC 207/SC 3 Environmental labelling  is
responsible for developing International Standa rds that establish guiding principles for the
development and use of environmental labels and declarations. The member bodies of 47 countrieshave committed themselves to participating in this technical work (among them 33 from developing
countries or economies in transition), and 14 participate as observers, commenting when they consider
it necessary (11 from developing countries or economies in transition): the membership list for the
parent Technical Committee and for the subcommittee can be found in Annex 1. The full ISO
membership is consulted on the draft International Standard and on the finalized version.
2. The overall goal of environmental labels and declarations can be stated as follows: through
communication of verifiable and accurate information – that is not misleading – on environmental
aspects of products and services, to encourage the demand for and supply of those products and
services that have a less negative impact on the en vironment, thereby stimulating the potential for
market-driven continuous environmental improvement.
3. The term eco-labelling is difficult to translate into some languages; ISO/TC 207/SC 3 has
therefore decided to use a numerical classification system for the various labelling schemes.
II. DEFINITIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL LABELLING “TYPES”
A. T
HIRD PARTY SCHEMES
4. Type I environmental labelling programme:  voluntary, multiple-criteria-based, third party
programme that awards a license which authorizes the use of environmental labels on products,WT/CTE/W/114
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indicating overall environmental preferability of a product within a product category based on life
cycle considerations.  (Included in ISO 14024, published on 1 April 1999).
B. SELF-DECLARED ENVIRONMENTAL CLAIMS
5. Type II environmental labelling (self-declared environmental claims): environmental
claim that is made, without independent third-party certification, by manufacturers, importers,
distributors, retailers or anyone else likely to benefit from such a claim.  (Included in ISO 14021, to be
published after final verification of consensus closing on 27 July 1999).
Specialized (third party) schemes using quantified product information labels and pre-set
indices
6. Type III environmental declaration:  quantified environmental data of a product under pre-
set categories of parameters set by a qualified third party and provided within a Type III
environmental declaration programme.
7. Type III environmental declaration programme:  voluntary programme, providing Type III
environmental declarations based on LCA according to the ISO 14040 series, verified by a qualified
third party.  (To be published after completion of approval process, closing on 28 June 1999, as
ISO/TR 14 025, i.e. as  a technical report for pre-standardization purposes).
III. ECO-LABELLING PROGRAMMES (TYPE I ENVIRONMENTAL LABELLING)
8. Under these programmes, manufacturers are licensed to use a mark, owned by an independent
body, on their products, to demonstrate that these products are environmentally preferable. The
scheme is aimed at enabling the consumer to recognize instantly that products with the label are
leading performers, in environmental terms, when co mpared to similar products in the same category
– without having to read the claims on each product's label and to weigh one against the other. To
achieve this purpose, the independent body uses set criteria, based on a simplified form of life cycleassessment, which a product has to meet in order to obtain the label.
9. ISO 14024: 1999 Environmental labels and declarations – Type I environmental labelling –
Principles  and procedures  has been developed to set down the key elements of a properly run Type I
labelling scheme, which includes procedures for selecting product categories, product environmental
criteria and product function characteristics, as well as for assessing and demonstrating compliance.
This standard also establishes the verification  procedure for awarding the label.
10. Type I environmental labelling programmes, described in ISO 14024, are voluntary in nature.
A precondition for the granting and maintenance of a licence to use a Type I environmental label is
compliance, by the applicant, with environmental and other legislation.
11. A Type I environmental labelling programme should be able to demonstrate transparency
through all stages of its development and operation. Transparency implies that information has to be
available for interested parties to inspect and comment where appropriate.
IV. SELF-DECLARED ENVIRONMENTAL CLAIMS (TYPE II ENVIRONMENTAL
LABELLING)
12. Self-declared environmental claims may be made by manufacturers, importers, distributors,
retailers or anyone else likely to benefit from such claims. Environmental claims (on products) may
take the form of statements, symbols or graphics on product or package labels, product literature,technical bulletins, advertising, publicity, telemarketing, etc.WT/CTE/W/114
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13. The evaluation methodology used by those who ma ke environmental claims should be clear,
transparent, scientifically sound and documented, so that those who purchase or may potentially
purchase products can be assured of the validity of the claims. In self-declared environmental claims,
it is important to avoid negative market effects, such as trade barriers or unfair competition, which canarise from unreliable and deceptive environmental claims.
14. Self-declared environmental claims are covered by future International Standard ISO 14021
Environmental labels and declarations – Self-declared environmental claims (under final verification
of consensus within the ISO membership – the closing date of the consultation is 27 July 1999). This
standard specifies the requirements for self-declared environmental claims, including symbols, onproducts. It further specifies: a general evaluation and verification methodology for self-declared
environmental claims; and specific evaluation and verification methods for the selected claims or
labelling set down in the standard.
15. ISO 14021 does not preclude, override, or in any way change legally required environmental
information, claims, labelling, or any other applicable legal requirements. The purpose of the standardis to provide guidelines enabling those concerned to:
(a) prepare accurate, verifiable and non-deceptive environmental claims;
(b) contribute to an increased potential for market forces to stimulate environmental
improvements in production, processes and products;
(c) prevent or minimize unwarranted environmental claims;
(d) reduce marketplace confusion;
(e) contribute to the facilitation of international trade;
(f) provide an increased opportunity for purchasers, potential purchasers and users of the
products to make more informed choices.
V. SPECIALIZED (THIRD PARTY) SCHEMES USING QUANTIFIED PRODUCT
INFORMATION LABELS AND PRE-SET INDICES (TYPE III ENVIRONMENTAL
LABELLING)
16. ISO/TC 207/SC 3 has determined that, while there is broad international agreement on some
aspects of Type III environmental declarations, there remain a number of issues where a clear
consensus has yet to emerge. Rather than develop an International Standard on the subject, they have
proposed the publication of a Technical Report, type
1, in order to help disseminate information and
provide a potential basis for future standardization. The draft Technical Report ISO/DTR 14025
Environmental labels and declarations  – Type III environmental labelling  – Principles and
procedures  has been submitted for a three-month final consultation among the participating members.
The closing date is 28 June 1999. A task group will be in charge of gathering information on the use
in practice of this Technical Report, and will report to the ISO/TC 207/SC 3 plenary, in view of the
possible development of an International Standard.
17. The Technical Report, ISO/DTR 14025, discusses ar eas of agreement, and issues that should
be resolved prior to the possible development of an International Standard. It recognizes that there are
                                                     
1 A type 2 Technical Report is used for pre-standardization purposes – as a prospective standard –
because there is an urgent need for guidance on how stan dards in the specific field should be used to meet an
identified need. It is proposed for provisional application so that information on experience of its use in practice
may be gathered.WT/CTE/W/114
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various Type III environmental declarations in use and that the concept is still evolving. The above-
mentioned task group will have to take this evolution into account, considering the Type III
environmental declaration as quantified environmental life-cycle product information, provided by a
supplier, based on independent verification, [e.g. third party], [critically reviewed] systematic data,presented as a set of categories of parameters [for a sector group.
2
• The Type III environmental declaration is non-selective but represents the
information in a format that faci litates comparison between products.
• The Type III environmental declaration in cludes information supplied to industrial
customers and to end-use consumers.
• Third party does not necessarily imply the involvement of a certification body.
VI. RELATED INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS
18. Life cycle considerations are important tool s with respect to environmental labelling
programmes. The work of subcommittee ISO/TC 207/SC 5 Life cycle assessment  on the ISO 14040
series is rapidly progressing, and the following International Standards and drafts are already
available:
ISO 14040:1997 Environmental management – Life cycle assessment – Principles and
framework
ISO 14041:1998 Environmental management – Life cycle assessment – Goal and scope
definition and inventory analysis
ISO/DIS3 14042 Environmental management – Life cycle assessment – Life cycle impact
assessment
ISO/DIS4 14043 Environmental management – Life cycle assessment – Life cycle
interpretation.
                                                     
2 In square brackets are the issues for further consideration.
3 ISO/DIS = Draft International Standard ISO.
4 idem .WT/CTE/W/114
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ANNEX 1
MEMBERS OF ISO TECHNICAL COMMITTEE ISO/TC 207 ENVIRONMENTAL
MANAGEMENT  AND OF ITS SUB-COMMITTEE ISO/TC 207 /SC 3 ENVIRONMENTAL
LABELLING
19. All ISO member bodies have the right to register with the ISO Technical Committees in
accordance with their own preference. They can comm it themselves to an active participation in the
technical work and are registered as participating members (P-members), or they can opt to beregistered as observer members (O-members), commenting at their convenience, or to be non-
members. In the latter case, they are consulted both during the final Technical enquiry on the draft
International Standard and during the final verification of consensus.
I. MEMBERS OF ISO TECHNICAL COMMITTEE ISO/TC 207 ENVIRONMENTAL
MANAGEMENT
Member Country Membership Member Country Membership
 IANOR Algeria P BIS India P
 IRAM Argentina P BSN Indonesia P
 SAA Australia P NSAI Ireland P
 ON Austria P SII Israel P
 BSTI Bangladesh P UNI Italy P
 MC BRB Barbados O JBS Jamaica P
 IBN Belgium P JISC Japan P
 BOBS Botswana O KEBS Kenya P
 ABNT Brazil P KNITQ Korea, Republic of P
 SCC Canada S LNCSM  Libyan Arab Jamahiriya O
 INN Chile P MC LTU Lithuania O
 CSBTS China P DSM Malaysia P
 ICONTEC Colombia P MSB Mauritius P
 INTECO Costa Rica P DGN Mexico P
 DZNM Croatia O MC MDA Moldova, Rep. of O
 NC Cuba P MNCSM Mongolia P
 CSNI Czech Republic P NNI Netherlands P
 DS Denmark P SNZ New Zealand P
 INEN Ecuador P NSF Norway P
 EOS Egypt P BPS Philippines P
 MC EST Estonia O PKN Poland P
 QSAE Ethiopia O IPQ Portugal O
 SFS Finland P ASRO Romania P
 AFNOR France P GOST R Russian Federation P
 DIN Germany P PSB Singapore P
 GSB Ghana P UNMS Slovakia O
 ELOT Greece O SMIS Slovenia O
 MC HKG Hong Kong, China O SABS South Africa P
 MSZT Hungary P AENOR Spain P
 STRI Iceland O SLSI Sri Lanka P
 SIS Sweden P BSI United Kingdom P
 SNV Switzerland P UNIT Uruguay P
 TBS Tanzania, United Rep. of P ANSI USA P
Table (cont'd)WT/CTE/W/114
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Member Country Membership Member Country Membership
 TISI Thailand P FONDONO Venezuela P
 TTBS Trinidad and Tobago P TCVN Viet Nam O
 TSE Turkey P SZS Yugoslavia O
 DSTU Ukraine O SAZ Zimbabwe P
II. MEMBERS OF SUBCOMMITTEE ISO/TC 207 /SC 3 ENVIRONMENTAL
LABELLING
Member Country Membership Member Country Membership
 IRAM Argentina P
 SAA Australia P&S KNITQ Korea, Republic of P
 ON Austria P DSM Malaysia P
 IBN Belgium P MSB Mauritius P
 ABNT Brazil P DGN Mexico O
 SCC Canada P NNI Netherlands P
 INN Chile P SNZ New Zealand P
 CSBTS China P NSF Norway P
 ICONTEC Colombia P BPS Philippines P
 INTECO Costa Rica P PKN Poland P
 DZNM Croatia O IPQ Portugal P
 NC Cuba P GOST R Russian Federation P
 CSNI Czech Republic P PSB Singapore P
 DS Denmark P UNMS Slovakia O
 EOS Egypt P SABS South Africa P
 MC EST Estonia O AENOR Spain P
 QSAE Ethiopia O SLSI Sri Lanka P
 SFS Finland P SIS Sweden P
 AFNOR France P SNV Switzerland P
 DIN Germany P TBS Tanzania, United Rep. of P
 ELOT Greece O TISI Thailand P
 MC HKG Hong Kong, China O TTBS Trinidad and Tobago P
 MSZT Hungary P TSE Turkey P
 STRI Iceland O DSTU Ukraine O
 BIS India P BSI United Kingdom P
 BSN Indonesia O UNIT Uruguay P
 NSAI Ireland P ANSI USA P
 SII Israel O FONDONO Venezuela O
 UNI Italy P TCVN Viet Nam O
 JBS Jamaica P SZS Yugoslavia O
 JISC  Japan P SAZ Zimbabwe P
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