EU Ecolabel criteria for paints and varnishes revised to 2032

The European Commission’s environment directorate has published revised EU Ecolabel criteria for paints and varnishes, with the criteria stated to run until 2032.

The EU Ecolabel is a voluntary scheme, but it functions as a benchmark far beyond the products that carry it. Its limits on volatile organic compounds, on restricted substances and on the durability a coating must demonstrate before it qualifies, are routinely adopted as procurement requirements by public bodies and by large commercial clients.

ArtCoatings has not seen the full criteria text. The practical questions — which product categories qualify, what the VOC thresholds are, and how durability must be evidenced — cannot be answered from the announcement alone.

Why this matters

A criteria period running to 2032 gives manufacturers a fixed target to formulate against, which is what makes investment in reformulation viable. It also means decorative finishes that cannot meet the thresholds will be excluded from a growing set of tenders.

What remains unconfirmed

• The thresholds set for indoor and outdoor products.
• Whether mineral and lime finishes have their own category.
• What testing evidence is required to demonstrate durability.