Good practice on ecolabels and sustainable public procurement: Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) on harmonization of ecolabel criteria
This good practice highlights the benefits of a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) on the harmonization of ecolabel criteria. An MRA is a voluntary agreement between national or regional ecolabel schemes to recognize and accept each other’s certifications. This recognition may be full, or it may apply to a set of common core criteria shared between the schemes. Such agreements streamline the process for businesses to market products across borders, potentially reduce the costs associated with obtaining multiple certifications, and encourage innovation. Examples include MRAs signed between the ecolabels of Brazil and Russia, Thailand and Japan, Thailand and Singapore, and the trilateral cooperation among Japan, China, and Korea.
Available in English and Spanish.
This series of good practices reflects experiences on ecolabelling, sustainable public procurement, or the joint use of ecolabelling and sustainable public procurement that have demonstrated positive impacts on fostering sustainable consumption and production — for this reason, they are called "good practices.” These good practices aim to promote global exchange by providing information and examples of various approaches that entities from different countries and contexts can apply to strengthen the use of ecolabels and sustainable public procurement. They were developed as an outcome of the Working Group on Ecolabelling from the Consumer Information Programme, under the One Planet network, and the EcoAdvance project, jointly implemented by the German Cooperation for Development (GIZ), the United Nations for Environmental Protection (UNEP), and the Oeko Institute, funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN), and the International Climate Initiative (IKI).
We would be delighted to present this good practice during one of your events. Additionally, if you would like to replicate it, share a good practice that we could systematize, or learn more about the EcoAdvance project, please contact us at ciscp@un.org.
