E-commerce logistics 111

To offer Nordic consumers a more sustainable and credible delivery option for their online purchases, the Nordic Swan Ecolabel has developed criteria for e-commerce logistics. This includes a focus on climate impact, energy efficiency and working conditions.

The requirements cover both line-haul and last mile, i.e. both the long-distance transports from the warehouse/terminal and deliveries to parcel agents, parcel boxes or home delivery. The system boundary is from the e-retailer's warehouse or the logistics operator’s terminal and to the consumer, please see the FAQ. 

Companies that can be license holders are transport companies transporting e-commerce goods, for example:

  • Freight forwarders
  • Post and morning newspaper distributors
  • Tech companies

The requirements include:

  • Limits for energy use in the transport network.
  • Strict requirements for climate performance.
  • A certain level of electric, hydrogen and biogas vehicles in the existing vehicle fleet - and increase of the proportion by new purchases.
  • Incrementally increased use of renewable energy in the entire transport network.
  • Ban on palm oil or its by-products (PFAD).
  • Working conditions in line with national labour law standards.
  • Volume-based pricing between retailer and transporter.
  • More time to optimize the logistics system by limiting same-day deliveries.

The FAQ further down on this page gives more detailed information.

  • Welcome to apply for a Nordic Swan Ecolabel licence!

    This is how you do:

    1. Read the application guide.
    2. Log in to the Nordic Ecolabelling Portal.
    3. Start your application.

     

    If this is the first time you are applying, the authorized signatory must fill in your company information and approve the application conditions. In this way, you get login to the portal and the right to assign access to other colleagues.

     

    Request login

    To the Nordic Ecolabelling Portal

    Some special cases can not be done in the Nordic Ecolabelling Portal. Contact your advisor for such cases. More information can be found on "Application step by step".

  • Valid from  1 January 2024

    Amount excluding VAT

    Application fee

    Application for a new licence

    3 251 EUR, but at least 1 625 EUR per product/brand.

    Application for licence renewal

    1 625 EUR, but at least 812 EUR per product/brand.

    Licence fee is paid per country/company/brand and cannot be calculated for a group of companies. 

    The fee is 0.15% of the products’ turnover up to 30 million EUR.

    The fee is 0.03% of the products’ turnover from 30 million EUR to 125 million EUR..

    The fee is 0.01% of the products' turnover that exceeds 125 million EUR.

    Minimum fee 2 167 EUR per year.

    Fee for extension/change of licence

    Fixed fee according to how long the work takes.

    Up to 4 hours 406 EUR
    4–8 hours 812 EUR
    8 or more hours 1 625 EUR

    Extension with new product/brand

    1 625 EUR

    Fee for control visit

    One inspection visit within the N
    ordic countries is included when applying for a new or renewed licence. 

    Additional fee for extra control visits within the Nordic countries 541 EUR per visit.
    Additional fee for extra control outside the Nordic countries but within Europe 1 625 EUR per visit.
    Control visist outside Europe 2 709 EUR per visit.
    Additional charge for visits lasting longer than one day

    1 083 EUR per day.

     

     


    Ecolabeeling Sweden AB has no financial profit purpose and is financed through the fees above along withan annual government grant. The company is however liable for VAT according to article 56 of the European Council Directive 2006/112/EC.

    Invoicing is made in SEK with the exchange rate from the first banking day of the year. 

     

    Valid from  1 January 2023

    Amount excluding VAT

    Application fee

    Application for a new licence

    3 114 EUR, but at least 1 557 EUR per product/brand.

    Application for licence renewal when the requirements have been tightened

    1 557 EUR, but at least 779 EUR per product/brand.

    The licence fee for the Nordic Ecolabelled product is based on its turnover in each Nordic country and brand.

    The fee is 0.15% of the products' turnover outsde of the Nordic countries up to 30 million EUR.

    The fee is 0.03% of the products' turnover outside of the Nordic countries from 30 million EUR to 125 million EUR.

    The fee is 0.01% of the products' turnover outside of the Nordic countries that exceeds 125 million EUR.

    Minimum fee 2 076 EUR per year.

    Fee for extension/change of licence

    Fixed fee according to how long the work takes.

    Up to 4 hours 389 EUR
    4–8 hours 778 EUR
    8 or more hours 1 557 EUR

    Extension with new product/brand

    1 557 EUR

    Fee for control visit

    One inspection visit within the Nordic countries is included when applying for a new or renewed licence. 

    Additional fee for extra control visits within the Nordic countries 519 EUR per visit.
    Additional fee for extra control outside the Nordic countries but within Europe 1 557 EUR per visit.
    Control visist outside Europe 2 595 EUR per visit.
    Additional charge for visits lasting longer than one day 1 038 EUR per day.

    Licence fee outside the Nordic countries

    The fee is 0,15% of the products' turnover ouside the Nordic countries up to 30 million EUR.

    The fee is 0,03% of the products' turnover ouside the Nordic countries from 30 million EUR to 125 million EUR.

    The fee is 0,01% of the products' turnover ouside the Nordic countries that exceeds 125 million EUR.


    Ecolabeeling Sweden AB has no financial profit purpose and is financed through the fees above along withan annual government grant. The company is however liable for VAT according to article 56 of the European Council Directive 2006/112/EC.

    Invoicing is made in SEK with the exchange rate from the first banking day of the year. 

    • For new applications granted after 1 July, a fee reduction will apply for the first year. The minimum or maximum fee and any breakpoint will be multiplied by the result of the following formula: “number of remaining days in the year” x 2 / 365.
      Breakpoint = Turnover where the percentage changes in the calculation of licence fee.
      Minimum fee = the lowest licence fee Nordic ecolabelling annually invoices a company or a Group per product/ commodity group/ certifying country.

      Should a former holder of a license/registration continue to make use of the Nordic Ecolabel without being granted a new license/registration, the Nordic Ecolabelling organization reserves the right to claim financial compensation. The size of such compensation shall be equivalent to the turnover-based license fee that a licensee would have been required to pay for a license, and a financial penalty, the severity of which is determined by the extent and duration of the infringement as well as the damages that Nordic Ecolabelling may have incurred as a result of such misuse. Such a financial penalty should not normally be less than EUR 4,000 (four thousand). The Nordic Ecolabelling organizations may also take legal action against the infringement of the Nordic Ecolabel or if rules in the prevailing version of the Logo Guideline for the Nordic Ecolabel are not fulfilled.

  • 1.1 ⇛ 1.2 Adjustment of criteria

    The section “What can carry the Nordic Swan Ecolabel” has been adjusted as well as the requirements O1, O7 and O18. There is a minor change in Appendix 1.

    1.0 ⇛ 1.1 Adjustment of criteria

    Several adjustments have been made:

    • Requirement O3 and O4: the least hired subcontractors, which in total amount to a maximum of 20% of the cost of all purchased transports may be exempted from the requirement O4, and from point c, d and e in requirement O3.
    • Requirement O9: a limit was introduced which means that 95% (instead of 100%) of the biodiesel volume must be documented free of feedstocks with a high iLUC risk
    • Requirement O10: The requirement for follow-up of subcontractors was harmonized with requirement O13
    • Requirement O15: the license holder's requirements on subcontractors only apply to points 3, 4 and 5 (not points 1 and 2).

    The new version is called 1.1 and valid until 31 march 2027.

    1.0: New product group

    Nordic Ecolabelling adopted version 1.0 of the criteria for 111 E-commerce logistics on 7 March 2023.

    The criteria is valid until 31 March 2027.

     


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