International standards of the ISO 14020 series were introduced in the Ukrainian national standardization system in 2002-2003. By harmonization.
The system is based on the following basic principles as voluntariness, scientific validity and openness of procedures for establishing ecological criteria, transparency of the evaluation procedure based on the method of life cycle assessment of a certain group of homogeneous products.
ISO 14024 compliance unifies and harmonizes the approaches of regional and national environmental certification systems operating in 60 countries (including EU member states) that are integrated into an international association – Global Ecolabelling Network (GEN) . Since 2004, the Ukrainian environmental certification body has been a part of GEN and has relevant international accreditation. For Ukrainian producers – holders of environmental certificates, this means recognizing the results of assessing the environmental benefits of products and the right to use eco-labels at European and international levels, certainly enhances their potential for competitiveness.
Since 2011 in connection with the approval of the decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine of May 18, 2011 №529 of the Technical regulation on ecological marking – the use of ecological marking is subject to state regulation.
Conformity of products to the established ecological criteria is confirmed by the certificate of ecological marking which is issued by the certification body according to ISO 14024, as an independent third party.
According to the requirements of this Technical Regulation, objects of economic activity in the territory of Ukraine are forbidden to use fuzzy or false ecological markings, or ecological markings which can be misunderstood, as well as such unverified inscriptions as “environmentally friendly”, “environmentally friendly”, “environmentally friendly” like that.
Environmental certification allows for a comprehensive multi-criteria evaluation of products based on their improved safety and quality at all stages of their life cycle.
The right to apply eco-labeling is granted on the basis of an environmental certificate.
According to the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union signed in 2014, compulsory certification in Ukraine has been abolished, and voluntary environmental certification should be carried out only by public organizations, without the participation of state bodies and business structures, to exclude corruption and commercialization of this sphere.
Legally, this was enshrined in 2018 – by the Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 3 of January 11, 2018, which repealed the previous CMU Resolution No. 529 of May 18, 2011 “On Approval of the Technical Regulation on Environmental Marking”, as well as the Law of Ukraine “On Strategic Environmental Assessment” from 03/20/2018.
Since 2018, the development of environmental requirements for goods and services in Ukraine is also engaged in the “Certification, Licensing and Training Center”, which, according to the relevant licensing agreement, gives certified manufacturers and suppliers the right to label their products with an environmental mark.