2000/731/EC: Commission Decision of 10 November 2000 establishing the rules of procedure of the Consultation Forum of the revised Community Eco-label Scheme (notified under document number C(2000) 3281) (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2000-11-10
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Community body, European symbol, cooperation policy, eco-label, quality label, rules of procedure

22.11.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 293/31

COMMISSION DECISION

of 10 November 2000

establishing the rules of procedure of the Consultation Forum of the revised Community Eco-label
Scheme

(notified under document number C(2000) 3281)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2000/731/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community and in particular Article 175(1) thereof,

Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000 of the Euro-
pean Parliament and of the Council of 17 July on a revised
Community Eco-Label Award Scheme (1), and in particular
Article 15 thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

Article 13 of Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000 provides
that the Commission shall establish a European Union
Eco-Labelling Board, hereinafter
the
‘EUEB’, consisting of the competent bodies referred to in
Article 14 and of the Consultation Forum referred to in
Article 15.

referred to as

Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000 provides
that the Commission shall ensure that in the conduct of
its activities the EUEB observes,
in respect of each
product group, a balanced participation of all relevant
interested parties concerned with that product group
such as industry and service providers, including SMEs,
crafts and their business organisations,
trade unions,
importers, environmental protection
traders, retailers,
groups and consumer organisations.

Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000 provides
these parties shall meet in a Consultation Forum.

Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000 provides
that the rules of procedure of the Consultation Forum
shall be established by the Commission in accordance
with the procedure laid down under Article 17.

Recital 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000 provides
that for the acceptance by the general public of the
Community Eco-Label Award System it is essential that
environmental NGOs and consumer organisations play

(6)

(7)

an important role in the development and setting of
criteria for Community Eco-Labels.

Annex IV(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000 provides
that a specific ad hoc working group involving the
interested parties referred to in Article 15 and the
competent bodies referred to in Article 14 will be estab-
lished within the EUEB for the development of Eco-Label
criteria for each product group.

The measures provided for in this Decision are in
accordance with the opinion of the Committee set up in
accordance with Article 17 of Regulation (EC) No 1980/
2000.

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The rules of procedure of the Consultation Forum, set out in
the Annex hereto, are hereby adopted.

Article 2

The Commission Decision of 18 November 1992 establishing
the
the rules of procedure of
is hereby repealed.
Community Eco-Label Award Scheme (2)

the Consultation Forum of

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Article 3

Done at Brussels, 10 November 2000.

For the Commission

Margot WALLSTRÖM

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 237, 21.9.2000, p. 1.

(2) C(92) 2314 final, 18.11.1992.

L 293/32

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

22.11.2000

ANNEX

rules of procedure of the Consultation Forum

1. The rules of procedure of the Consultation Forum (the Forum) referred to in Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No

1980/2000 are established. The Forum shall operate in accordance with the said Regulation.

2. The Consultation Forum and its members shall be members of the European Union Eco-Labelling Board (EUEB) and

shall participate in all activities of the EUEB,

in particular:

— requesting the Commission to initiate the procedure for setting the ecological criteria as well as the related

assessment and compliance verification requirements for product groups,

— setting and reviewing Eco-Label criteria as well as the related assessment and compliance verification requirements

for product groups,

— being consulted by the Commission on the Community Eco-Label working plan,
— the promotion and use of the Community Eco-Label.

3. The following organisations, amongst others, representing the interested parties referred to in Article 15 of the said

Regulation, shall be members of the Forum, and thereby of the EUEB:

— Coface (consumers, representing also BEUC, Eurocoop and AEC),
— EEB (environmental),
— ETUC (trade unions),
— UNICE (industry)
— UEAPME (SMEs, crafts),
— Eurocommerce (commerce).

In order to ensure a balanced participation of all relevant interested parties, the EUEB may adapt this membership as
appropriate, either at the request of the Commission or on its own initiative, subject to approval by the Commission.

4. Each member of the Forum shall designate a contact person.

5. The Forum shall meet in meetings of the EUEB.

6. In addition to general representatives who should participate in meetings of the EUEB, each member of the Forum
should designate at least one technical representative per product group to participate in the ad hoc working groups
set up by the EUEB in relation to specific product groups, as well as in meetings of the EUEB where the product group
in question is to be fully discussed. These technical representatives should as far as possible be expert and knowledge-
able of the product group in question.

7. The members of the Forum and their general and technical representatives shall act in compliance with the objectives
and principles laid down in Article 1 of the said Regulation as well as the procedural principles laid down in Annex IV
of the said Regulation.