Who is behind it?

The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) is the owner of the label. It defines the fundamental guidelines for the award of the Blue Angel and appoints the members of the Environmental Label Jury.

The experts at the German Environment Agency (UBA) develop the specialist criteria that a product or service must comply with in order to be certified with the Blue Angel. It also regularly checks the criteria to ensure they conform to the latest technological standards. 

The Environmental Label Jury is an independent, impartial and voluntary body that ensures the reliability of the Blue Angel. It decides which new product groups are added and discusses and approves the Basic Award Criteria proposed by the UBA. This decision-making body comprises 15 representatives from environmental and consumer associations, trade unions, industry, the trade, crafts, local authorities, academia, the media, churches, young people and the German federal states.

As an independent organisation, RAL gGmbH (a non-profit private limited company) checks compliance with the requirements after the submission of the product-specific application by a company and concludes contracts on the use of the Blue Angel with the companies.