The feasibility of an EU eco-label for furniture: final report

Abstract

"First some information on the legal background of the EU Eco-label, the character of the feasibility study, the steps undertaken during the research (chapter 3) and the general context of the labelling for furniture (chapter 4) are given. The starting point of debate is the question: What sort of furniture are we talking about and which kind of furniture is most interesting for the introduction of an Eco-label (chapter 5)? To ground the debate further, the main environmental issues to be tackled are briefly summarised (chapter 6) and a rough overview of the furniture market in Europe is given (chapter 6). A synopsis of the different existing Eco-labels in the EU is provided in chapter 8. It analyses the standards that are known and have established themselves in the markets - if not EUwide then at least within some national settings. That can help answer the question of what the proposed EU Eco-label might stand for in the future. Some examples of best practice are documented to show that environmental management practices have a place in the market and can be a business success (chapter 9). Finally the main conclusions and recommended strategies on the introduction of a new Eco-label are presented (chapter 10)." (excerpt)