Label_update (2013)

 Various sources are used to determine sustainable criteria in this guide. This concerns the (particularly European) prevailing regulations, the green public procurements toolkit of the European Commission (GPP Toolkit) and internationally recognised standards. For social criteria this guide makes use of the legal opportunities within the context of Directive 2004/18/EC. For the sources of environmental criteria this guide mainly refers to art. 23 (6) of European Directive 2004/18/EC.  “Where contracting authorities lay down environmental characteristics in terms of performance or functional requirements […] they may use the detailed specifications, or, if necessary, parts thereof, as defined by European or (multi-) national eco-labels, or by and any other eco-label […]”Each year the Sustainable Development PPS investigates the availability of specifications for products and services of some 15 (mainly) foreign eco-labels. This site is updated in line with the adaptations implemented by the organisations responsible for the eco-labels.The table below gives a summary of the products and services as well as their sources for environmental criteria. Version 28/02/2013: PDFFor a comparative analysis between various environmental and social labels: see www.labelinfo.be (in Dutch or French)