Eco-Labelling Schemes in the European Union and their Impact on Brazilian Exports

Although eco-labelling programmes are voluntary and accessible to both domestic and foreign producers, the industry of the importing country is often in a position to influence the conceptualization and implementation of these programmes, making it necessary for foreign suppliers — particularly from developing countries — to make additional efforts to maintain the competitive edge of their exports. In so far as the criteria and parameters of these eco-labelling schemes are related to the life cycle of the products and therefore include the production process, they point to the need to meet certain standards in the countries of origin of products. The broad scope of life-cycle analysis suggests that eco-labelling systems, although not mandatory, may affect the production of input materials and raw materials for the export industry, thus effectively acting as barriers to the entry of products exported from the developing countries — although the production of these goods may not have any environmentally hazardous transborder effect.