Learning the hard way: The EC and the eco-label

Abstract

The Fifth Environmental Action Programme places great emphasis on the wider adoption of market mechanisms and the application of shared responsibility in environmental policy. The Eco-label scheme appears to embody these principles and as a consequence has received considerable political support. However, the Eco-label is now in disarray. Its evolution is traced and it is suggested that despite high levels of commitment to the Eco-label, policymakers have been unable to address the seemingly intractable issues associated with its practical introduction.