Journal of Economics and Development Studies

The Determinants of the Adoption of Environmental Certification Case of the Finishing Sector in Tunisia
Lamia DALY, Radhouane HASNI

Abstract
Addressing the challenge of adopting eco-labels by developing countries, firms Textile Clothing (T-C) have the opportunity to become certified according to the criteria of the most common ecolabels such as Oeko-Tex 100. In the Tunisian case, the pressure caused by a possible labeling of textile reinforces the threat of disappearance already weighing on any part of the textile industry that can’t afford to modernize. Thus, the progressive eco-labeling of environmentally friendly producers is inevitable. It will be a criterion for selection of suppliers by European prime. Tunisian companies are majority owned eco-labeled finishing, upstream branch of the industry and interacting with all other branches upstream: spinning, weaving, components and accessories, and branches below: Making and hosiery. The finishing uses chemical inputs and dyes and therefore carries more interest in environmental certification. We studied the determinants of environmental certification in the finishing sector in Tunisia. The analysis is conducted in cross section for the year 2009 using a Probit model. According to the literature, we show that the actions of promotion of Oeko-Tex certification, should apply mainly to large companies, subcontractors, those who are in partnership and belong to groups. We also show that finisher exporter, co-contractor, or to its own production does not influence the probability of adoption of Oeko-Tex ecolabel. Tunisian finishers who conducted an industrial recovery are not interested in environmental certification. However, in the medium term they face new requirements to improve the offer. If the Tunisian authorities have chosen to support the upstream industry in the industrial recovery, their actions must be accompanied by an awareness and assistance for environmental certification from upstream, especially the finishing industry.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jeds.v5n3a10