Environmental Technology Verification

Short Introduction

Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) programmes are quite recent, originating in North America where they started in the mid-90s. The objective is to accelerate market acceptance of innovative technologies by providing users with information about their performance, thereby substantially reducing uncertainty for purchasers and permitters. The overall strategic objective for a European system for ETV is to enhance the application of innovative Environmentally sound Technologies (EsT's) by purchasers and permitters, both inside and outside of Europe.

The Nordic environmental technology industry has a strong position in Europe, but the potential is far from exploited fully. The European Union (EU) is planning to establish the framework for a European Environmental Technology Verification system (ETV) similar to those currently operating in the US, Canada, South Korea and Japan. The EU ETV shall provide independent and comparable data for verification of technology performance produced according to accepted methods at ETV centers distributed over Europe.

European developments

The European Commission is planning to launch an EU ETV pre-programme. It will test the ETV approach and procedures with interested Member States, in a maximum of three technology areas. The programme has been prepared through research and pilot projects, impact assessment studies and public consultation. The aim of the projects was to prepare and establish a pilot ETV scheme, and test its implementation. More information can be found on the common web pages of the European projects, and the project web pages:

Results from the public consultation on ETV.

Nordic Innovation Centre, an organization under the Nordic Council of Ministers, has decided to establish a Nordic scheme for Environmental Technology Verification, ETV