Certification methodology

1. The manufacturer submits to the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Physical Planning and Construction a written application for the award of the Environmental Label of the Republic of Croatia.

2. The application received is given careful consideration at the session of the Jury for Environmental Label award which then, subject to the data available, takes the decision :
a) to carry on the procedure :
 - by forwarding the application to an expert institution which is to deliver its expert opinion / prepare specific criteria for a new product group,
 - by requesting the applicant to submit additional data,
b) to refuse the application as ungrounded.

3. In case that no specific criteria are available for the product which is the subject of the Environmental Label application, the expert institution will first of all elaborate special criteria for the product group to which the product in question belongs.

4. Specific criteria are adopted by the Jury for the Environmental Label award.

5. For the purpose of elaborating the expert opinion the competent institution contacts the applicant and arranges the audit of the company.

For the audit the following is to be prepared :

• product quality certificate (compliance with valid standards),
• list of products and raw materials from the aspect of safety and technics (according to the European guideline),
• description of the technological process,
• description of technological modifications, power supply improvements and choice of raw materials to ensure a more favourable impact on the environment,
• comparison between the product and other equivalent products in the Croatian market,
• water resources permit and the waste water quantitative analysis,
• analysis of the product impact on waters stating : biodegradability, acute toxicity on water organisms, damages to active sludge bacteria, heavy metal content (according to European guidelines/DIN standards),
• outcome of examining the working environment and equipment,
• description of waste disposal methods.

The air quality impact assessment is carried out during the audit.

After compiling and processing all the data and carrying out necessary examinations the requirements stated in specific criteria are checked and the expert opinion elaborated.

6. The Jury takes the decision on the award of the Environmental Label by evaluating the extent to which the product is in line with the requirements contained in the Rule Book on environmental Label, valid regulations and standards, specific criteria for the relevant product group and expert opinion of the competent institution.