The Green Key is an environmental label guaranteeing that businesses that have acquired the label meet a number of specific environmental requirements. In return for complying with the requirements, the businesses can use the environmental label in their marketing.

The Green Key is the environmental label of tourism. This means that hotels, inns, holiday and course centres, hostels, camp sites, holiday houses, restaurants and sports facilities can obtain the Green Key label.

In order to be awarded the Green Key, a number of environmental requirements must be met. The Green Key criteria. Today, a number of criteria have been set for all the above-mentioned business types within the tourism sector – Read more about the scheme and criteria here.

The European Flower and the Nordic Swan are the two only environmental labels that are officially acknowledged in Denmark.

The Flower is the European environmental label. It was established in 1992 by the European Commission, and Denmark has participated from the beginning. The Flower is used throughout Europe.

The swan is the Nordic environmental label. It was established by the Nordic Council of Ministers in 1989 and Denmark joined in 1997. The Swan is used in all Nordic countries, i.e. Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland.

A long list of products can be awarded the Flower or Swan label. From e.g. staple goods such as kitchen towels and shampoo through durables such as furniture and computers to service goods, e.g. hotels and car washes. Food and medicine, however, is not labelled with the Flower or the Swan.

The two labelling schemes are administered by Environmental Labelling Denmark, which is an independent part of Danish Standard.

BLUE FLAG is an international "label" that works towards a cleaner sea and coastal environment and to improve the general safety, service and quality of beaches and harbours.

A BLUE FLAG on the beach means that a number of environmental requirements have been met. E.g. that the swimming waters are in good condition and that they run regular tests to verify the standard of hygienic conditions and that the beach informs about the importance of the sea environment.

A BLUE FLAG at a harbour indicates that the hygienic and environmental conditions are approved.

You can read more about the scheme on The Danish Outdoor Council's website.

The Ø label indicates that a good is organic. The red Ø label is a Danish control label showing that the Danish authorities have inspected the farms and companies that have processed, packed or labelled the organic food produce etc. 

EU’s organic farming label is similar to the red Danish Ø label. Foods certified with the EU's label can - after inspection in Denmark - also be labelled with the red Ø label. The label entered into force in 1999. The decision was made in a "Regulation" which means that the label applies to all EU Member States. The label is voluntary and can be used on agricultural products that meet EU's requirements to organic farming. A prerequisite for using the label is that the responsible national authorities have made an inspection. This inspection scheme is in place to secure consumers interests so that the products are real and the production requirements are met. The inspection must be made at least once a year.

The inspection is carried out by The Danish Plant Directorate: www.pdir.dk