The European Commission has adopted updated EU Ecolabel criteria for paints and varnishes, including tighter limits on certain chemical emissions and a new category for water-based aerosol spray paints.
The EU Ecolabel is the EU’s voluntary label for products that meet environmental standards set at European level, the Commission said in a release on Friday.
The updated criteria cover the full life cycle of paints and varnishes, including use and disposal.
The revised rules set lower limits for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), which can be released into the air during and after application.
They also include strict thresholds for VOCs linked to longer-term indoor exposure.
Updated requirements also cover “fitness for use” — criteria intended to reflect industry practice and product performance — and revised limits on preservatives used in coatings.
Three product groups
The Commission has split the original product group into two — “decorative paints, varnishes and related products” and “performance coatings and related products” — with separate criteria for each.
A third group has been added for “water-based aerosol spray paints”, it added.
The new criteria will apply until 31 December 2032.
A webinar on the revised criteria and the EU Ecolabel application process is scheduled for 19 February 2026 and will be hosted by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre and DG Environment.
