Commercial Information Circulars

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Ref : EIC 230/4/1

20 January 2015

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 66/2015

European Union (EU)* : Community Eco-Label Award Scheme (Absorbent Hygiene Products)

Further to Commercial Information Circular No. 625/2014 dated 30 June 2014, the European Commission (the Commission) has adopted a Decision to establish the ecological criteria for the award of the EU Ecolabel for absorbent hygiene products. Details are set out in Commission Decision 2014/763/EU, which can be accessed through the following link:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32014D0763&from=EN

DETAILS

2.Regulation (EC) No. 66/2010 provides that specific EU Ecolabel criteria are to be established according to product groups. Since consumption of the materials contribute significantly to the overall environmental impacts, it is appropriate to establish the EU Ecolabel criteria for this product group in particular to promote sustainable sourcing of materials, limited use of hazardous substances, high-quality and high-performance products which are fit-for-use and are designed to minimize waste production.

3.In order to be awarded the EU Ecolabel, an item of absorbent hygiene products fall within the definition as stated in Article 1 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 and the related assessment and verification requirements shall be valid for four 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, Croatia, 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.