Printing companies and printed matter
Criteria
Prices
The product group includes printing companies and printed matter such as magazines, newspapers, advertising matter brochures, books, envelopes, banners, and packaging.
The Nordic Swan Ecolabel focuses on reducing the total environmental and climate impact of the printing company and of the printed matter and promoting a good work environment. E.g. through requirements for printing materials, chemicals, and energy consumption. Requirements that ensure suitability for recycling also helps to reduce consumption of resources and waste volumes, thereby promoting circular economy.
Only Nordic Swan Ecolabelled printing companies can produce Nordic Swan Ecolabelled printed matter.
The requirements for both the printing company and printed matter include:
- Use of sustainable manufactured paper.
- Use of printing materials such as textile, plastic and aluminium/composite board material which meets strict requirements for chemicals used in surface treatment and content of PVC.
- Use of 100% Ecolabelled or inspected printing material and ban on the use of PVC in Nordic Swan Ecolabelled printed matter.
- Limits for energy consumption.
- Environmental and health properties of chemicals used in production of printed matter as well as at external book binders. Among other things, there are strict requirements to substances that are carcinogenic, toxic to reproduction and can damage genetic material, and bans on halogenated organic and fluorinated substances.
- Limits for use of chemicals containing VOC
- Documentation that inks, tones, adhesives, and varnishes do not create problems in connection with deinking and recycling of printed matter.
The criteria document for printers and printed matter is a combined document for the product groups:
- Printing companies and printed matter
- Packaging for e-commerce transport
A separate fee is paid for each product group according to the list.
There is no need for registration in other countries.
Nordic fee
Valid from 01-01-2024 til 31-12-2024
Publish date: 25-09-2023
| Application fee (incl. inspection visit within the Nordic region**) | 3,251 € |
| The fee payable for each unit in a chain is reduced by 50% if the chain processes the application centrally.* | |
| Annual licence fee + VAT for Printing companies and printed matter:: | |
| Per tonne of purchased substrate** up to 2,000 tonnes for the Nordic region | 1.50 € |
| Per tonne of purchased substrate > 2,000 tonnes for the Nordic region | 0.50 € |
| Minimum fee*** | 2,167 € |
| Maximum fee | 15,000 € |
| Annual licence fee + VAT for Packaging for e-commerce transport: | |
| Per tonne of purchased substrate** | 1.50 € |
| Minimum fee*** | 3,251 € |
| Maximum fee | No fee |
| Renewal fee - by new generation of requirements*/*** | 1,625 € |
| The fee payable for each unit in a chain is reduced by 50% if the chain processes the application centrally. | |
| Inspection visits (per visit):***** | |
| More than one inspection visit within the Nordic region | 541 € |
| Inspection visit within Europe | 1,625 € |
| Inspection visit outside Europe | 2,709 € |
| Extension/change of existing licence:****** | |
| Case handling < 4 hours | 406 € |
| Case handling < 4 hours | 812 € |
| Case handling ≥ 8 hours | 1,625 € |
* A unit is a printing company and may also be an enterprise with a licence for a specific item of printed matter.
** Purchased substrate = the licensee’s annual procurement of substrate for printing either at the licensee or at the licensee's Nordic Swan Ecolabelled supplier of items of printed matter for the Nordic market. If the substrate consumption at the printing company is considerably higher than the paper procurement, e.g. if the printing company uses paper supplied by the customer, then Nordic Ecolabelling may charge a fee based on the printing company's total substrate consumption. Groups of companies may add up their consumption, only not across geographic borders in case of Nordic printing companies.
*** For companies with multiple units, the fee for micro-units is halved. The definition of company size is based on EU recommendation 2003/361.
**** The renewal fee only applies if the application has been signed and submitted before end of the validity of the licence. Else the normal application fee will apply.
***** Where audits require more than one day away from the office including travelling, Nordic Ecolabelling can invoice an additional fee of 1,083 € per extra day. Other extraordinary costs induced by the audit can also be invoiced the applicant.
****** Administrative tasks that takes less than 1 hour will not be invoiced.
Note: Paper producers interested in supplying ”inspected” paper to the Nordic Swan Ecolabelled printing companies pay fees accordion to the Nordic region list.
All fees are exclusive of VAT. All information related to fees is subject to a disclaimer for errors and omissions.
The recipient is liable for the VAT according to article 56 of the Council Directive 2006/112/EC.
The criteria document for printers and printed matter is a combined document for the product groups:
- Printing companies and printed matter
- Packaging for e-commerce transport
A separate fee is paid for each product group according to the list.
There is no need for registration in other countries.
Nordic fee
Valid from 01-01-2025 til 31-12-2025
Publish date: 13-09-2024
| Application fee (incl. inspection visit within the Nordic region**) | 3,348 € |
| The fee payable for each unit in a chain is reduced by 50% if the chain processes the application centrally.* | |
| Annual licence fee + VAT for Printing companies and printed matter:: | |
| Per tonne of purchased substrate** up to 2,000 tonnes for the Nordic region | 1.54 € |
| Per tonne of purchased substrate > 2,000 tonnes for the Nordic region | 0.51 € |
| Minimum fee*** | 2,232 € |
| Maximum fee | 15,450 € |
| Annual licence fee + VAT for Packaging for e-commerce transport: | |
| Per tonne of purchased substrate** | 1.54 € |
| Minimum fee*** | 3,232 € |
| Maximum fee | No fee |
| Renewal fee - by new generation of requirements*/*** | 1,673 € |
| The fee payable for each unit in a chain is reduced by 50% if the chain processes the application centrally. | |
| Inspection visits (per visit):***** | |
| More than one inspection visit within the Nordic region | 557 € |
| Inspection visit within Europe | 1,673 € |
| Inspection visit outside Europe | 2,790 € |
| Extension/change of existing licence:****** | |
| Case handling < 4 hours | 418 € |
| Case handling < 4 hours | 836 € |
| Case handling ≥ 8 hours | 1,673 € |
* A unit is a printing company and may also be an enterprise with a licence for a specific item of printed matter.
** Purchased substrate = the licensee’s annual procurement of substrate for printing either at the licensee or at the licensee's Nordic Swan Ecolabelled supplier of items of printed matter for the Nordic market. If the substrate consumption at the printing company is considerably higher than the paper procurement, e.g. if the printing company uses paper supplied by the customer, then Nordic Ecolabelling may charge a fee based on the printing company's total substrate consumption. Groups of companies may add up their consumption, only not across geographic borders in case of Nordic printing companies.
*** For companies with multiple units, the fee for micro-units is halved. The definition of company size is based on EU recommendation 2003/361.
**** The renewal fee only applies if the application has been signed and submitted before end of the validity of the licence. Else the normal application fee will apply.
***** Where audits require more than one day away from the office including travelling, Nordic Ecolabelling can invoice an additional fee of 1,115 € per extra day. Other extraordinary costs induced by the audit can also be invoiced the applicant.
****** Administrative tasks that takes less than 1 hour will not be invoiced.
Note: Paper producers interested in supplying ”inspected” paper to the Nordic Swan Ecolabelled printing companies pay fees accordion to the Nordic region list.
All fees are exclusive of VAT. All information related to fees is subject to a disclaimer for errors and omissions.
The recipient is liable for the VAT according to article 56 of the Council Directive 2006/112/EC.
How to apply for a certification
This product group is digitized.
You will find application guides and tools to help you with your application under the CRITERIA tab on this page. Application must be submitted via the Nordic Ecolabelling Portal, where you also upload your documentation.
If you are not registered as a user, you can request login credentials.
You can read more about the application process here:
For suppliers
Has one of your customers applied for certification with the Nordic Swan Ecolabel? You can help your customer by registering the product or item properties in our Supply Chain Declaration Portal. We can then use the information in processing your customers application.
Components include products and materials such as chemicals, pulp, paper and cardboard.
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