Background At the time the proposal was submitted in 2001, food markets in Romania were often seen to be operating under very poor conditions of hygiene, thereby creating risks for the environment and the health of the population. The design of food markets was not taking into consideration strict environmental and health norms. The negative impact on the environment was notably caused by waste generation, emissions of noises and smells, water discharges, and water and energy consumption. The dangers to human health resulted from a lack of hygiene measures and the risk of contamination presented by perishable products. Due to their inappropriate storage and consequent alteration, these products became sources of diseases and infections that then spread. Objectives The overriding objective of the “Ecomarket” project was to minimise the negative environmental impact of those food markets that were permanently operating in open or partially open spaces. It sought to demonstrate how eco-labels could be an effective instrument in moving the production and trade of agricultural and industrial products in Romania towards sustainability. In concrete terms, the project aimed to introduce and certify an environmental management system (EMS) in compliance with the ISO 14000 requirements in Bucharest. It planned to design, test and evaluate an ecological model for a food market and apply it in a test market situation. It would develop an environmental assessment method (EAM) with sustainability indicators to obtain a voluntary eco-labelling scheme (VES) for retail shops located in food markets. Results The Ecomarket project was able to successfully implement an Environmental Management System (EMS) that improved the performance of food markets in terms of environmental protection, the consumption of natural resources and public health. The Bucharest Municipality’s system achieved ISO 14001 certification and was used to guide policies elsewhere in Romania. The project used experience from Romania and Denmark and knowledge of national legislation and the ISO 14001 criteria to successfully upgrade the Bucharest EMS. It developed a series of parameters and indicators to measure the environmental impact of food markets. These looked at a range of issues including energy consumption and efficiency, water usage and water saving measures, waste disposal and recycling, noise and odour pollution, transport and hygiene. The project developed tools and training for staff to monitor the environmental performance of the markets. The EMS achieved ISO14001 certification from a third party accreditation body, thus proving that it had successfully defined environmental objectives and targets as well as the management system necessary to achieve them. As a key tool for the implementation of the EMS, the project developed an ecological market model and a voluntary eco-labelling scheme for traders in food markets. These were tested in five pilot units where ecological certificates were awarded for conformity to the standards devised. The system ensures continuous efforts from the shops in the markets as the certificates are withdrawn if the environmental performance falls below the standards. The tests showed that the use of the voluntary eco-labelling generated better ecological performance of food markets as shown by improved scores against the performance criteria for resource consumption, environmental protection and hygiene. Attitudes and awareness in the food markets with regards the environment and public health were seen to have improved. Dissemination activities included press conferences and symposiums organised in four large cities of Romania. Leaflets and brochures were published and circulated to public administrators and food-market representatives. The project’s transferability is substantial and the Municipality of Brasov was already sufficiently impressed by the methodology to request to implement the model.