Environmental labels in the printing industry
Regulatory fact sheet, updated on . General information, not legal advice: legislation changes, so check it at the source.
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):
- Hazardous waste collected and disposed of at least once a year by approved collectors;
- Secure storage of hazardous liquids (new, in use, waste);
- CMR products (labelled H340, H350, H360) eliminated or substituted where technically possible, or proper use justified;
- Awareness-raising for staff (and for customers in the case of digital printers);
- 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.
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/
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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