India Finalizes its Eco Mark Certification Rules

On October 11, 2023, India’s Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) published the draft Eco Mark Certification Rules, 2023 and extended a 30-day comment period. The proposed regulations will permit items that satisfy specific requirements to display the designated Ecomark, with the goal of encouraging the use of environmentally friendly products and increasing consumer knowledge of environmental issues.

The Rules are intended to encourage the consumers to adopt environmentally friendly products that cause lesser adverse impacts on the environment. It will also motivate manufacturers for transitioning to production of Ecomark certified products for promoting sustainability as well as prevent misleading and deceptive information with respect to fraudulent use of Eco Mark label.

Criteria for Ecomark

The Ecomark is awarded to products which meet the specified environmental criteria notified by the Central Government. The certification of Standards Body (national or international) for quality and safety, or mandate of Quality Control Orders (QCOs) shall be pre-requisite for Ecomark.

The primary criteria shall include the following:

• Production or process including source of raw material;
• Use of natural resources;
• Likely impact on the environment;
• Effect & extent of emissions/waste arising from the production process;
• Disposal of the product and its packaging;
• Compliance to Extended Producer Responsibility regulations (where applicable);
• Utilization of waste and recycled materials;
• Suitability for recycling;
• Substitution of hazardous substances with safer ones.

Ecomark Portal

As per the Rules, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) shall develop a Ecomark web portal within six months of the date of publication. The portal serves as an information hub that keeps track of the number of entities that submit their application for Eco Mark certification and also the quantum of sale of Ecomark certified products made against each Ecomark certified product. The entities to be registered on the online portal include:

• Producers/Exporters/Importers of Ecomark/other recognized domestic or international voluntary ecolabel products or mutually recognized international ecolabel products;
• Producers/Exporters/Importers who have adopted other ecolabelling programs (domestic/international) including for the purpose of exports/imports;
• Designated Ecomark Verifiers, third party market surveillance entities, other third party entities;

All the registered entities must file an annual implementation report ( for the period April 1st to March 31st) regarding the compliance status by June 30th of the next financial year.

Compliance verification

In addition to the CPCB, the Designated Eco mark Verifiers (DEVs) possess the authority to confirm that items meet the ecolabelling standards necessary for the Eco mark Rules to be followed when a certificate is awarded or renewed. DEVs must conduct conformity assessments, which might include factory visits, sample collection, factory audits, and recommendations for certification.