Ecomark: the Technical Committee, the Portal and the Verifiers

In one line

Three bodies run the Ecomark, two registers of private entities verify it, and the whole record is published on a portal the Central Pollution Control Board must maintain.

In the wording a student can write in an examination: rule 7 of the Ecomark Rules 2024 constitutes a Steering Committee chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; rule 8 sets out its functions; rule 9 the functions of the Central Pollution Control Board; rule 10 a Technical Committee; rule 11 the web portal; rule 12 the registration of Verifiers; rule 13 compliance of products, with registered agencies and powers of inspection; rule 14 the role of the State Governments; and rule 15 a Committee of Implementation.

The Steering Committee, rule 7

Its role. Constituted by the Central Government, and responsible for the effective implementation of these rules.

Its composition, and the list is worth learning because it shows what an eco-label is thought to touch.

• the Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, as Chairperson ex officio;
• the Additional Secretary or Joint Secretary in charge of Ecomark in that Ministry;
• the Joint Secretary in the Department of Consumer Affairs;
• one representative, not below the rank of Joint Secretary, of each of: the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade; the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting; the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare; the Department of Health and Family Welfare; the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises; the Ministry of Power; the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation; the Department of Expenditure; the Ministry of External Affairs; the Department of Commerce; and the Ministry of Textiles;
• the Director General, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research;
• the Director General, Bureau of Indian Standards;
• the Chairman, Central Pollution Control Board;
• two experts from the field of environmental standardisation; and
• two representatives of industry associations.

Co-option. With the Chairperson's prior approval, any other person may be invited or co-opted.

Term. Five years.

Notice three things. The Department of Consumer Affairs and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting are on it, which is an acknowledgment that an eco-label works through consumers and through communication. The Department of Expenditure is on it, which is the door to public procurement. And the Ministry of External Affairs and the Department of Commerce are on it, because a national eco-label is also a trade instrument, recognised or not recognised abroad.

The functions, rules 8 to 10

The Steering Committee, rule 8. It recommends for the approval of the Central Government: the products to be included for the grant of Ecomark, on the Board's recommendation; the measures to be adopted and the manner of promotion of the Ecomark; a periodic review of the criteria; and measures to support research for verification of a product's environmental impact or revision of the criteria. It also reviews the annual reports submitted by holders and the Board's recommendations on them, for effective and efficient monitoring, and performs any other function the Central Government assigns.