The environmental footprint of a product (defined as "good" or "service", according to the ISO 14040: 2006 standard of the methodology LCA - Life Cycle Assessment) is a measure based on the evaluation of the environmental performance of a product. The analysis in conducted throughout the entire life cycle, from the procurement of raw materials to the end of life, calculated in order to reduce the environmental impact of the good or service.

The European Commission has published the Recommendation 2013/179/EU of 9 April 2013 which defines a single European method for assessing and communicating the environmental footprint of products called “Product Environmental Footprint”, PEF.

As part of the European Commission's Environmental Footprint (EF) pilot project, some PEFCR (Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules) have been developed. These Rules, based on the life cycle, are specific by type of product and complete the PEF method by identifying additional requirements for a given product category.

In order to determine the environmental footprint of products, the "Made Green in Italy" scheme adopts the PEF methodology as it is defined in the Commission Recommendation 2013/179 / EU of 9 April 2013.

For carrying-out studies finalized at the evaluation of the environmental footprint of the products and for the elaboration of the PRC (Product Category Rules), the Italian national scheme adopts the PEF methodology and the "PEF guidelines": guidelines, methods, technical prescriptions and other documents of common interest developed within the European pilot application of the PEF method and approved within the European Commission's PEF project.

These documents are available at the following links:

• Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) Guide; Annex II to the Recommendation  2013/179 / EU, 9 April 2013. Published in the official journal of the European Union Volume 56, 4 May 2013 (for PEF methodology)

• Product Environmental Footprint Category 1 Rules Guidance 2 (Version 6.3 - May 2018)  (for the processing of PEFCR and PCR)

• List of European PEFCRs