# Environmental labels in the printing industry

## In brief

| Label | Covers | Guarantees | How to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Imprim'Vert** | the **workshop** (the printer's site) | management of hazardous waste, secure storage, toxic products, staff awareness, energy monitoring | directory on imprimvert.fr |
| **FSC** | the **paper** and the **chain of custody** | forest origin managed according to FSC rules, or recycled | info.fsc.org database (licence or certificate code) |
| **PEFC** | the **paper** and the **chain of custody** | origin from forests managed sustainably according to PEFC | PEFC database (pefc-france.org / pefc.org) |
| **EU Ecolabel** | the **printed product** | reduced environmental impact over the life cycle | the European Commission's ECAT catalogue |

A printer may hold the Imprim'Vert label without being FSC or PEFC certified, and vice versa: these labels do not certify the same thing.

## 1. Imprim'Vert

- **Scheme owner**: the mark belongs to **Amigraf**, which manages it nationally; the support network includes in particular the chambers of trades and crafts, the chambers of commerce and industry, ADEME and the water agencies.
- **National specifications** (five criteria):
  1. **Hazardous waste** collected and disposed of at least once a year by approved collectors;
  2. **Secure storage** of hazardous liquids (new, in use, waste);
  3. **CMR products** (labelled H340, H350, H360) eliminated or substituted where technically possible, or proper use justified;
  4. **Awareness-raising** for staff (and for customers in the case of digital printers);
  5. **Quarterly monitoring of energy consumption**, submitted at each renewal.
- **What it does not guarantee**: the origin of the paper, the composition of the inks used for a given job.
- **How to check**: online directory of labelled printers: https://www.imprimvert.fr/annuaire-imprimeurs ; holders also have QR codes linking to a digital certificate of validity.
- **Duration and checks** (rules of use of the mark, AMIGRAF):
  - the mark is awarded **for one calendar year** (a “dated” logo);
  - for the following two years, the business submits its **monitoring data** each year and pays a **user fee**;
  - in the **third year**, renewal is subject to a **site visit** by an Imprim'Vert assessor, validated by the awarding committee; unannounced checks are possible;
  - sites equipped **exclusively for digital printing** (excluding large format) can only obtain the mark if they process at least **20 tonnes per year**;
  - if part of the printing plate production is subcontracted, the subcontractor must also hold the mark.

Sources: https://www.imprimvert.fr/ and rules of use of the mark: https://monespace.imprimvert.fr/uploads/files/front/3reglementusagemarqueimprimvert-65af800dd8bc2.pdf

## 2. FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)

- **Three product labels**: **FSC 100%** (fibres from FSC-certified forests), **FSC Mix** (a mix of certified fibres, recycled fibres and “controlled wood”), **FSC Recycled**.
  Source: https://fr.fsc.org/fr-fr/produits-et-communication/les-3-labels-fsc
- **Chain of custody**: chain-of-custody certification (standard **FSC-STD-40-004 V3-1**, according to FSC France) is intended for businesses that handle, process, manufacture, **print** or sell forest products. Exempt are: agents who trade without taking ownership, subcontractors who do not take ownership (carriers, for example) and resellers of finished products who neither unpack nor relabel them.
- **Subcontracting**: a certified business that subcontracts an operation (finishing, for example) must have a formal subcontracting agreement, **retain legal ownership** of the products throughout the subcontracting, prohibit the subcontractor from subcontracting further or mixing materials, and have the subcontractor agree to auditor visits.
- The licence code “FSC® C000000” identifies the business responsible for applying the label, generally the manufacturer or the printer.
  Sources: https://fr.fsc.org/fr-fr/tracabilite/chaine-de-controle-fr and https://fr.fsc.org/fr-fr/produits-et-communication/les-3-labels-fsc
- **How to check**:
  - the logo must include the **licence code** (in the form “FSC® C000000”) and the label type;
  - enter this code in the public database **https://info.fsc.org** to identify the holder and the validity of the certificate;
  - for a buyer: the **invoice** and the delivery note must show the certificate number and the product's FSC claim (FSC 100%, FSC Mix, FSC Recycled). A certified business may also sell non-certified products.
  Source: FSC France, buyers' FAQ, https://fr.fsc.org/sites/default/files/2022-07/FAQ%20Emballage_compressed.pdf
- **FSC Mix**: under the **percentage system**, the product contains at least **70%** FSC-certified and/or recycled wood or fibre, the rest being “FSC Controlled Wood”; under the **credit system**, there is no minimum per product, but only some of the products may be labelled FSC. **FSC Recycled**: all the fibre is recycled (pre- or post-consumer; no pre/post-consumer threshold for paper products). Source: https://fr.fsc.org/fr-fr/produits-et-communication/les-3-labels-fsc

## 3. PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification)

- **Principle**: guarantees that the wood or fibre comes from forests managed sustainably according to the PEFC scheme, with a certified **chain of custody** at every stage.
- **Certification**: issued by an accredited independent certification body (COFRAC in France), with annual audits.
- **Logo**: reserved for businesses holding a chain-of-custody certificate and a licence to use the trademark; it bears the business's own **licence number**.
- **How to check**: ask for the certificate (company name, validity date), then check that the business appears in the **database of certified companies** (“Qui est certifié”, who is certified, tab on pefc-france.org, which links to the international database on pefc.org).
  Sources: https://www.pefc-france.org/le-label-pefc/ and https://www.pefc-france.org/wp-content/uploads/FICHE-COMMANDE-PUBLIQUE_COLLECTIVITES_PEFC_en-ligne.pdf
- **Search databases**: certified companies headquartered in France: https://www.pefc-france.org/entreprises-certifiees-france/ ; companies worldwide: https://www.pefc.org/find-certified (links given on PEFC France's “Qui est certifié ?” page: https://www.pefc-france.org/qui-est-certifie/).

## 4. EU Ecolabel

- **Legal basis**: Regulation (EC) No 66/2010 on the EU Ecolabel; in France, Code de l'environnement (the French Environmental Code), articles D. 541-231 to D. 541-239 (according to entreprendre.service-public.gouv.fr).
- **Criteria for printed matter**: Commission Decision (EU) 2020/1803 of 27 November 2020 (printed paper products, stationery paper products and paper carrier bag products), applicable according to our sources until 31 December 2028. **To be confirmed with a legal professional.** Source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec/2020/1803/oj
- **What it guarantees**: a reduced environmental impact compared with similar products, over the entire life cycle; exclusion of certain hazardous substances.
- **Who awards it in France**: **AFNOR Certification** for all product categories.
- **The label covers a product**, not the business: a printer holds the Ecolabel for specific printed products.
- **How to check**: the **registration number** must appear on the product; labelled products are published in the **EU Ecolabel online catalogue (ECAT)** once the application has been approved. Service-public links to this catalogue from its page https://entreprendre.service-public.gouv.fr/vosdroits/R69845.
- **Duration**: the official fact sheet states **no fixed term** for the licence; the contract concluded with the competent body provides for the authorisation and **withdrawal** of the label, **in particular following a revision of the criteria**. Indicative fees: application from €350 to €1,442, annual fee from €350 to €1,764 (ceilings per product group).
  Source: https://entreprendre.service-public.gouv.fr/vosdroits/F38446 (checked on 8 September 2025)

## 5. Other points of reference

- **Recycled paper**: for election documents, reimbursement by the State requires paper containing at least 50% recycled fibres or certified for sustainable forest management (Code électoral, article R. 39). See the fact sheet [Election posters](https://imprimeur.paris/en/guides/reglementation-affiches-electorales/).

## Main sources

- Imprim'Vert: https://www.imprimvert.fr/ and https://www.imprimvert.fr/annuaire-imprimeurs
- FSC France, the 3 labels: https://fr.fsc.org/fr-fr/produits-et-communication/les-3-labels-fsc
- FSC, certificate database: https://info.fsc.org
- PEFC France: https://www.pefc-france.org/le-label-pefc/
- EU Ecolabel, entreprendre.service-public.gouv.fr: https://entreprendre.service-public.gouv.fr/vosdroits/F38446
- Decision (EU) 2020/1803: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec/2020/1803/oj
- Imprim'Vert, rules of use of the mark: https://monespace.imprimvert.fr/uploads/files/front/3reglementusagemarqueimprimvert-65af800dd8bc2.pdf
- FSC France, chain of custody: https://fr.fsc.org/fr-fr/tracabilite/chaine-de-controle-fr
- PEFC France, who is certified?: https://www.pefc-france.org/qui-est-certifie/

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*General information, not legal advice. Written on 1 November 2026.*

## Frequently asked questions

### Does Imprim'Vert guarantee environmentally friendly paper?

No: Imprim'Vert covers the workshop (hazardous waste, storage, toxic products, energy), not the origin of the paper or the inks used for a given job.

### Are FSC and PEFC the same thing?

Both cover paper and its chain of custody, under two separate schemes: FSC (forests managed according to its rules, or recycled fibres) and PEFC (forests managed sustainably according to PEFC).

### How do I check an FSC label?

The logo must include the licence code (in the form “FSC® C000000”); enter it in the public database info.fsc.org to identify the holder and the validity of the certificate.

### Does the EU Ecolabel certify the printer?

No, it covers specific printed products, whose registration number appears on the product; in France, it is awarded by AFNOR Certification.

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Updated on 2 November 2026. Source : https://imprimeur.paris/en/guides/reglementation-labels-environnement/