Thorough environmental observation and a series of life cycle consideration have been performed to underpin the development of the environmental criteria of a new EU Eco-label product group following the voluntary and selective European Environmental Award Scheme based on Regulation EC 1980/ 2000. Since April 2002, the European Eco-label is available for the Hard Floor Coverings product group, subsequently also called 'HFC'. The Eco-label translates environmental awareness on products for indoor and outdoor covering materials such as ceramic and clay tiles, concrete paving units, terrazzo, agglomerated and natural stones into a new market-based environmental policy tool. As a matter of fact, the HFC ecological criteria development has been positively concluded based on a the study of the Italian National Environment Protection Agency (ANPA, Agenzia Nazionale per la Protezione dell'Ambiente) with the technical support of Life Cycle Engineering (Turin, Italy), that had been entrusted with this task by the European Commission, DG Environment. The stakeholders involved in the 'Ad Hoc Working Group' activities included European Eco-label Competent Bodies, some of the most important manufacturers, consumers and environmental associations at a European level. In December 2001, after eighteen months of concerted work with all the interested parties in the European Union Eco-label Board (EUEB), the final vote of criteria by Member States enabled the publication of the EU-wide valid criteria and the elaboration of an application pack (user manual) in late March 2002.
