ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book explains the findings of the project titled 'Developing Effective and Efficient Product Information Schemes: Assessing and Expanding Product Information Schemes between Voluntary and Mandatory Approaches'. It analyses the conditions under which environmental product information schemes (EPIS) are or can become an efficient and effective tool to meet objectives and to achieve sustainable development, covering mandatory and voluntary labels as well as more forms of communication of product-related environmental information, such as the Internet. The book explores how EPIS can be used to realise sustainable consumption patterns, create green markets, foster innovation and development of green products and services and implement multi-stakeholder initiatives. The main focus of the research was oriented towards eco-labelling in the four countries where primary empirical data was collected—Germany, Italy, Norway and Spain. EPIS play an important role in environmental policy.
