It is a system that uses predefined rules and independent audits to verify that a product, service, or company meets specific environmental or social requirements, thereby allowing the use of a corresponding“sustainability label.”
Under the ECGT Directive, a sustainability label may be used only if it is established by a public authority or if it is based on a certification system that meets specific requirements, namely:
- The requirements and conditions of the program must be publicly available;
- The requirements must be defined in consultation with experts and relevant stakeholders;
- The system must be open to all operators who are willing and able to meet its requirements;
- The scheme must be transparent, credible, and accessible to all operators under fair and nondiscriminatory conditions;
- Compliance must be verified periodically by an independent and competent third party;
- The independent verification must be conducted in accordance with recognized international, European, or national standards (such as ISO 17065 or the mechanisms set forth in Regulation (EC) No. 765/2008), but please note: For the purposes of the ECGT Directive, the entity that administers the scheme and the entity that verifies compliance must be legally distinct.
- The scheme must allow for the use of a corresponding sustainability label and include procedures for managing nonconformities and revocation.
Effective September 27, 2026, all sustainability labels not established by a public authority must be based on a certification system that complies with the requirements described above.
Last modified on 02/10/2026