Order No.18 of 1995 of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources regarding organization of the system of certification on the basis of ecological requirements for the prevention of environmental damage (system of ecological certification).

The Minister orders to validate the Regulation. Ecological certification is carried out for the purpose of creation of economic and legal mechanism for the realization of the right of citizens to favourable environment envisaged by the Constitution of the Russian Federation. The system envisages voluntary and compulsory certification. Ecological certification must be carried out compulsory in cases envisaged by the federal and regional legislation of the Russian Federation. Voluntary certification within the framework of the system is carried out if the legislative acts of the Russian Federation do not envisage compulsory certification. Voluntary certification is carried out in accordance with the contract between certification body and applicant concluded on the initiative of the applicant. The document consists of 11 Secs. Section 1 is the introduction. Section 2 introduces terms and concepts. Section 3 lays down general provisions. Section 4 establishes the main rules of the system. Section 5 establishes the structure of the system and the modalities of its functioning. Section 6 regards the modalities of attestation of environmental auditors. Section 7 establishes normative and methodical basis of the system. Section 8 regards provision the system with information. Section 9 establishes economic principles of the functioning of the system. Section 10 determines the stages of the development of the system. Section 11 contains the list of the normative documents for ecological certification.