The European Commission has proposed common criteria to combat greenwashing and misleading environmental claims in order to provide reliable and verifiable information for consumers and establish a level playing field for businesses
The proposal targets explicit green claims and excludes claims covered by existing EU rules. Before communicating green claims to consumers, companies must independently verify and prove them with scientific evidence. Clear and harmonized rules and labels will ensure that claims are communicated clearly, and environmental labels must be reliable, transparent, independently verified, and regularly reviewed.
In 2020, a study by the Commission revealed that over half (53.3%) of environmental claims in the EU were unclear, deceptive, or baseless, with 40% lacking evidence.
This is the third proposal enhancing circular economy, empowering consumers for the green transition and promoting the repair of goods and contributing to sustainable consumption. Find out more about the first and second proposal.
The proposal is subject to the approval of the European Parliament and the Council.