Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk

Ref : EIC 230/4/1

22 August 2012

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 658/2012
European Union (EU)* : Community Eco-Label Award Scheme (Printed Paper)

Further to Commercial Information Circular No 594/2012 dated 1 August 2012, the European Commission (the Commission) has adopted a Decision to establish the ecological criteria for the award of the EU Ecolabel for printed paper. Details are set out in Commission Decision 2012/481/EU (the Decision), which can be accessed through the following link:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2012:223:0055:0065:EN:PDF

DETAILS

2.Regulation (EC) No 66/2010 provides that specific EU Ecolabel criteria are to be established according to product groups. Since the chemicals used in the printed paper products may hinder recyclability of printed paper products, and may be hazardous for the environment and for human health, it is appropriate to establish EU Ecolabel criteria for the product group "printed paper".

3.In order to be awarded the EU Ecolabel, an item of printed paper should fall within the definition as stated in Article 1 of the Decision and should comply with the criteria as well as the related assessment and verification requirements as set out in the Annex of the Decision. The criteria for the product group "printed paper", as well as the related assessment and verification requirements shall be valid for three years from the date of adoption of the Decision.

ENQUIRIES

4. For enquiries concerning the content of this circular, please contact the undersigned at telephone number 2398 5556.

Yours faithfully,


 

(Miss Anita WONG)
for Director-General of Trade and Industry

* The EU includes Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Note ：

• (1) While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the above information, the Department cannot guarantee this to be so and will not be held liable for any reliance placed on the same.
• (2)The biweekly newsletter "Business Alert - EU" of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council provides up-to-date information on the latest developments in EU trade policy and trade regulations. The newsletter is available for free e-subscription and can be accessed through
  http://www.tdctrade.com/alert/eualert.htm.