A Step Forward In Green Marketing Regulation: EU Directives Target Greenwashing And Strengthen Requirements For The Use Of Green Claims And Environmental Labels

• Published date: 03 April 2024
• Law Firm: Altius
• Author: Mathieu Maniet and François Lambert

At a time when consumers have become increasingly aware of sustainability issues, it is sometimes difficult to find one's way through the various green claims and environmental labels. Recognising this challenge, the European Union has recently enacted a Directive aimed at empowering consumers with the information needed to make sustainable choices: Directive 2024/825, which amends existing Directives 2005/29/EC and 2011/83/EU to promote sustainable consumption practices and (better) regulate the information that traders must provide to consumers (the "Empowering Consumers Directive"). To complement it, the European Commission is currently working on a new proposal for a Directive on substantiation and communication of explicit environmental claims (the "Green Claims Directive Proposal"). This note briefly explains both.

1. The Empowering Consumers Directive

Clear Communication: Blacklist extension and Harmonised Labels

The Empowering Consumers Directive stresses the importance of clear communication between professionals and consumers, and for consumers to have better information about products' environmental and social aspects.

To this end, the Empowering Consumers Directive strengthens and extends the general ban...