2. European eco-labels

2.1 Overall system

The Community Regulation stipulates that, once a product group has been accepted by the Commission – DG XI –, the task of carrying out the study is entrusted to one of the competent bodies, which sets up a working group in which the various interest groups participate in principle, the "ad hoc group". Proposals are submitted to the forum, which brings together Community representatives of industry, distribution, consumer and environmental protection associations, for their opinion. This opinion is communicated to the Commission, which then forwards the drafts to the Regulatory Committee, made up of representatives from the Member States.