Over 50 government and business leaders have gathered to develop a unified national eco-labelling framework for Sri Lanka, supported by European Union funding aimed at promoting sustainable production and consumer confidence.

A stakeholder consultation organised through the European Union-backed Green Recovery Facility brought together more than 50 representatives from government agencies, private sector companies, certification bodies and industry associations to advance Sri Lanka's National Eco-Labelling Framework (NELF). The initiative, implemented by Expertise France in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, seeks to create a coherent system for identifying environmentally responsible products and practices.

The need for such harmonisation has become pressing as confusion over environmental claims increases globally. According to the European Union, nearly 1.8 million products worldwide currently carry recognised eco-labels, yet the proliferation of competing standards has created challenges for consumers. The EU noted that six in ten European consumers struggle to distinguish credible environmental claims from misleading ones. Sri Lanka already has sector-specific schemes in operation, including the Green Label introduced by the Green Building Council and energy rating initiatives by the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority, but these lack national coordination.

Stakeholders identified three priority areas during the consultation: aligning eco-labelling with Green Public Procurement to increase market demand, strengthening domestic testing and verification capacity, and implementing a phased rollout of the new system. The programme will also introduce a tiered recognition system to provide businesses at various stages of their sustainability journey with pathways to national recognition. Officials stressed that a strengthened framework would help reduce greenwashing risks by ensuring standards are science-based and transparent.

The initiative builds on Sri Lanka's 2022 launch of its foundational eco-labelling framework. Upcoming phases will focus on refining technical criteria, building institutional capacity and supporting implementation of a trusted national eco-label for Sri Lankan products competing in international markets.