Green Claims Directive:
EU Parliament approves proposal

On March 12, the EU Parliament voted in favor of the EU proposal for the planned Green Claims Directive. With this directive, the EU sets out the framework for how companies will have to substantiate environmental claims about their products and/or services in future.

The EU wants to put a stop to the greenwashing activities of companies. Among other things, the directive stipulates that

In future, companies will have to have environmental claims such as "biodegradable" checked and scientifically confirmed before they advertise them.
EU member states must appoint and commission experts who are able to review and approve such advertising claims.
Companies that violate the new rules can be excluded from public tenders and fined up to four percent of their annual turnover.

Greenwashing is widespread

The background to the legislative initiative is reviews and studies that show that greenwashing is more widespread than expected. One of these studies from 2020 revealed that more than half of the environmental claims examined for products and services in the EU are vague to misleading, and around 40% are simply insubstantial.

Directive contents not yet fixed

However, with the vote in the EU Parliament, the directive is not yet final. The next step is for the European Council to take up the matter. It is certain that a decision on the final proposal will not be made until June by the newly elected EU Parliament. Non-governmental organizations, which are pushing for a quick solution, fear that the content of the directive could be watered down as a result.

As a manufacturer of climate and environmentally friendly products and/or services, you can secure competitive advantages within the framework of the legal requirements. If you have any questions regarding the legal security of your products, please contact us at sales@kft.de.