Background

The project has been designed to fulfill several perceived needs:

• To improve access to regional, European and global markets of environmentally friendly products from developing economies;
  
  
• To promote the mutual supportiveness of trade and environment especially in rapidly emerging economies such as Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa. These countries play an important role in their region and have strong trade links with Europe. They also already suffer environmental problems associated with their increasing consumption and production patterns;
  
  
• To increase the international competitiveness of developing countries' manufacturing products, such as Kenya's.
  
  
• To increase the reliability of the eco-label as a marketing instrument
  
  
• To change developing countries perception of environmental and health product- and process related requirements, from unintentional technical barriers to trade, to accessible tools in the international competitiveness race that can defend and expand their national and international market shares if handled as an integral part of both economic strategies and business strategies in companies.