Applications for Eco Label open by 6 July

Green transition and sustainable development as a global initiative, that encourage economic growth and development while preserving the environment, a reduced impact on climate change and achieving people's well-being, has been imperative for our country in the last decade.

The economy has a key role in this transition through application of new business models that generate resource and energy savings and reduce water, air and soil pollution. Optimization of production processes, application of the best available techniques, proper handling of waste, application of energy efficiency measures, use of renewable energy sources, as well as the application of standards and voluntary instruments in the field of environmental protection, influence the development of a more competitive and challenge-resistant economy of our country.

When it comes to voluntary instruments, since 2009, in Serbia, legal entities have had the opportunity to obtain the right to use the eco-label for their product of certain categories. This labeling is based on consideration of the product's life cycle and product conditions, which relate to environmental protection and which confirms the overall suitability of the product for the environment within a specific product group.

Such products in the European Union have a more favorable status among conscious consumers as well as during green public procurement. By the end of 2023, it is planned to change the legislative framework in the field of public procurement, which will enable intensive encouragement of green public procurement in the coming period.

In order to promote voluntary instruments, which can be a very powerful driver of the green transition, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, in cooperation with the National Alliance for Local Economic Development-NALED and the United Nations Development Organization-UNDP, is launching an initiative called "Eco-label for more competitive product''. The initiative is intended for socially responsible companies that have products that could potentially carry the Eco-label, showing that they contribute to the preservation of the environment and human health and show their concern for the social community.

The initiative implies the application of a product that could bear the designation Eco Label  - Friend of the environment. Free professional support is provided for the preparation of the necessary documentation for obtaining the Eco-label.

For additional information regarding the initiative, you can contact Rade Ostojic, Head of the group for the application of voluntary instruments in environmental protection, at e-mail rade.ostojic@eko.gov.rs or no. phone +381 11 269 05 20 and Sanja Knežević Mitrović, Policy Manager at NALED at e-mail s.knezevicmitrovic@naled.rs.

You can express your interest in participating in the initiative until June 26 via the e-mail addresses circularna@eko.gov.rs, rade.ostojic@eko.gov.rs and s.knezevicmitrovic@naled.rs, and the deadline for applications is June 6. July

In the following period, an info day will be held, and you will be informed about the exact date, time and place of the event after submitting the application.