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Green Claims
The European Council has announced the adoption of a directive aimed at safeguarding consumers from misleading green claims and other forms of greenwashing practices.
A recent study conducted by the commission revealed that over half of the green claims made by companies in the EU were found to be vague and misleading.
Key aspects of the new directive encompass regulations designed to enhance the clarity of product labels. This involves prohibiting the utilization of generic environmental claims lacking substantiated evidence. Additionally, the directive stipulates that sustainability labels must adhere strictly to official certification schemes or be endorsed by established public authorities.
The directive also encompasses regulations targeting product durability. It mandates that guarantee information on products must be more prominently displayed and introduces the creation of a standardized label to emphasize goods with extended guarantee periods. Moreover, the directive prohibits unfounded durability claims, discourages the premature replacement of consumables, and prohibits the misrepresentation of goods as repairable when they are not.
While upholding the primary objectives of the commission's initial proposal, the final text of the directive incorporates several significant enhancements. These include the prohibition of claims derived from carbon offsetting schemes suggesting a product has a neutral, reduced, or positive environmental impact. Furthermore, the directive strengthens criteria pertaining to sustainability labels and augments monitoring measures concerning claims concerning products' prospective environmental performance.