Welcome to the 'paints and varnishes' website

The current website includes all information related to the EU Ecolabel criteria for “indoor and outdoor paints and varnishes”, renamed as “decorative paints, varnishes, and related products, performance coatings and related products, and water-based aerosol spray paints”. 

The revision of the criteria was carried out by the Joint Research Centre's Directorate B: Fair and Sustainable Economy on behalf of the European Commission's Directorate General for the Environment and it is now finalised. The new criteria can be downloaded here. 

The EU Ecolabel for “indoor and outdoor paints and varnishes” promotes the production and consumption of products with a reduced environmental impact along the life cycle and is awarded only to the best environmentally performing products in the market. 

The EU Ecolabel criteria are based on the requirements addressed in EU Ecolabel Regulation 66/2010. The criteria are defined on the basis of the environmental information derived from Life Cycle Assessment and product oriented environmental performance assessment studies. Several environmental, safety, technical and functional aspects are considered. Moreover, during the EU Ecolabel criteria development continuous wide consultation is foreseen with experts and stakeholders of manufacturers, supply chain industry, consumer organizations and NGOs. 

A webinar to explain in more detail how the criteria for “paints and varnishes” should be applied and to introduce participants to the User Manual for applicants of the EU Ecolabel for “indoor and outdoor paints and varnishes”, renamed as “decorative paints, varnishes, and related products, performance coatings and related products, and water-based aerosol spray paints”, will be delivered on 19 February 2026. Further information will be communicated to registered stakeholders by email. 

If you want to register as a stakeholder, please write to feedback form. 
If you would like to contact us directly, please refer to the contact details of the project team.