The development of regional labelling programmes that enhances the environmental profile of African products and improve their market access is one of the key activities identified under the African 10-Year Framework Programme on Sustainable Consumption and Production. With this as a basis, the Fourth African Roundtable on Sustainable Consumption and production (ARSCP-5) identified the development of an African Ecolabelling Mechanism as one of the key priority activities to be undertaken at the regional level. The overall objective of this activity is to develop an African eco-labelling scheme that promotes appropriate environmental and health related standards within the design and production of African products and promote better markets access for African products in the regional and global markets. In order to achieve this:

• A regional assessment on existing Ecolabelling initiatives in the region was conducted and a report was produced;
• A regional Expert Meeting was organized in collaboration with the African Union and UNECA which reviewed the assessment report and made recommendations on the way forward;
• The summary outcome of the assessment and the regional meeting was printed as a booklet and distributed to different forums including the Council of African Ministers of Industries and the General Assembly of the African Standardization Organization.
• As a follow-up of the Regional Expert Meeting and the consultation processes, a preliminary paper on the 'Structure and Function of an African Eco-labelling Mechanism' has been prepared;

For more information on the activities of the Industry Office please contact:

Mr. Desta Mebratu,
Industry Affairs Officer,
Tel: 254-20 7624044
Fax: 254-20 7623028
Email: desta.mebratu@unep.org