The directive adopted in January this year aims to protect consumers from misleading commercial practices and help them make better purchasing choices. To achieve this, a number of marketing claims related to greenwashing and premature obsolescence of products will be added to the list of prohibited commercial practices in the European Union.

The new rules aim to complement the Green Claims Directive, currently under discussion in the European Parliament, which will address the conditions for environmental claims in more detail.

The initiative aims to make product labelling clearer and more reliable by banning the use of general and unsubstantiated environmental claims such as “environmentally friendly”, “natural”, “biodegradable”, “climate neutral” or “eco”.

In the future, only sustainability labels based on official certification or certification established by public authorities will be permitted in the EU. In addition, the directive will prohibit claims that a product has a neutral, reduced or positive impact on the environment due to emissions compensation schemes.

Another important aim of the new law is to make producers and consumers focus more on the durability of goods. Warranty information will need to be made more visible and a new harmonised label will be created to give greater prominence to products with an extended warranty period. The new rules will also ban unsubstantiated durability claims.

The directive needs final approval from the Council before being published in the Official Journal, and Member States will have 24 months to implement it into national law.

Source: News European Parliament | MEPs adopt new law banning greenwashing and misleading product information.

Recommended reading: Capital Reset | The moment of truth in the fight against greenwashing.