certification scheme

Definitions over time (1)

27/09/2026 – today applies on 11/11/2026 Article 2, Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (UCPD) Scope: Whole act

‘certification scheme’ means a third-party verification scheme that certifies that a product, process or business complies with certain requirements, that allows for the use of a corresponding sustainability label, and the terms of which, including its requirements, are publicly available and meet the following criteria: the scheme is open under transparent, fair, and non-discriminatory terms to all traders willing and able to comply with the scheme’s requirements; the scheme’s requirements are developed by the scheme owner in consultation with relevant experts and stakeholders; the scheme sets out procedures for dealing with non-compliance with the scheme’s requirements and provides for the withdrawal or suspension of the use of the sustainability label by the trader in case of non-compliance with the scheme’s requirements; and the monitoring of a trader’s compliance with the scheme’s requirements is subject to an objective procedure and is carried out by a third party whose competence and independence from both the scheme owner and the trader are based on international, Union or national standards and procedures;