Background The EU's Sixth Environmental Action Programme encourages improvement in environmental performance of products throughout their life cycles. ISO standards 14040 and 14020 make specific reference to the Life Cycle Assessment method (LCA), the Environmental Products Declarations (EPDs) and eco-labelling of products. Opportunities exist to improve eco-labelling in Europe’s floriculture industry where intensive production methods are common. Objectives The Ecoflower Terlizzi project focused its efforts on identifying and branding sustainable floriculture approaches for the intensive flower industry in Terlizzi. Proposals included: demonstrating the potential of an Integrated Product Policy (IPP) approach; applying the EMAS EPD methodology to the main flower species produced in Terlizzi (for domestic use and knowledge transfer outwith the region); and creating an 'EcoFlower Terlizzi' environmental labelling programme for local flowers. The project also sought to establish a floriculture research centre, foster institutional building and lessen the long term potential negative environmental impacts from floriculture. Results The project achieved its key objectives and successfully undertook initial Environmental Reviews on nine farms which provided a comprehensive LCA assessment for different floriculture systems in the participating units. Cultivation practices were examined and environmental impacts were assessed as part of the LIFE project activities which resulted in the preparation of new guidelines for issuing EPDs on particular floriculture systems, as well as specific Environmental Criteria for defining compliance with a new Ecoflower label (type I). These two new quality certification tools developed by the beneficiary’s LIFE partnership are anticipated to help improve enforcement of existing legislation and ease the introduction of new eco-friendly farming practices on a wider scale. Ten farms are now operating appropriate environmental management standards that allow them to brand their products with the new Ecoflower label. These tangible results from the LIFE investment are helping to reduce negative environmental impacts on natural resources and hold good demonstration value for other European floriculturalists. A new Centre for Studies and Research on flowers, part-financed by LIFE, is expected to be active in promoting such sustainable methodologies as it builds on the beneficary’s dissemination work during participation at national and international exhibitions and workshops, as well as within scientific publications and newspaper articles. Overall, the experience gained during the LIFE project offers important potential to improve environmental management practices in a significant flower producing district of Southern Italy. Wider uptake of the Ecoflower label approach remains dependent on further initiatives in the organisation of the specific certification chain. This would benefit from incorporating regional or national stakeholders in order to extend the LIFE project’s value to a larger and inclusive potential user group.