Don’t scrap Green Claims Directive, NGOs say
Press release | European consumers need a strong Green Claims Directive to deter false claims, but concerning and unverified reports suggest the proposal is in jeopardy. If policymakers do not reach an ambitious agreement, greenwashing will continue, say environmental groups ECOS, ClientEarth, Carbon Market Watch, and the European Environmental Bureau.
Greenwashing is rampant in Europe, with 76% of the products on the EU market carrying an implicit or explicit green claim — and more than half of these claims are misleading, unsubstantiated, or inaccurate, according to research by the European Commission [1].
The European Commission created confusion with a spokesperson stating its “intention” to withdraw the proposal ahead of the final round of the negotiations — just days after the EPP sent a letter to the Commission asking for this withdrawal.
The Green Claims Directive is intended to clean up the wild west of green claims, so withdrawing the proposal without coming to an ambitious agreement would leave European consumers and businesses without clear rules. Only greenwashers would benefit from the removal of this legislation.
Withdrawing this law now would be highly unorthodox and would go against the proper legislative process. Negotiators should be allowed an opportunity to reach an agreement, the NGOs say, and policymakers should not waste any more time or money by delaying further.
On behalf of ECOS, Client Earth, Carbon Market Watch and the EEB, Margaux Le Gallou, Senior Programme Manager at ECOS, said:
The Green Claims Directive should provide clarity for consumers and companies, but confusion is what the European Commission and some MEPs have served up instead. Policymakers must respect the legislative process, work with negotiators to find a solution, and unblock this crucial law. Every day without this directive inflicts more harm on EU citizens, the environment and the single market — with consumers and businesses adrift in a sea of greenwashing as policymakers argue about the lifeboat.
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Notes to editors
[1] European Commission (2023): https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/circular-economy/green-claims_en
Further reading
- ECOS press briefing (June 2025), ‘Last chance for a strong EU Green Claims Directive’: https://ecostandard.org/news_events/briefing-green-claims/
- ECOS press release (March 2024), ‘Better late than never: EU Green Claims Directive clears European Parliament hurdle’: https://ecostandard.org/news_events/better-late-than-never-eu-green-claims-directive-clears-european-parliament-hurdle/
- ECOS press briefing (March 2024), ‘Q&A: How MEPs can eliminate greenwashing with new EU rules on environmental claims’: https://ecostandard.org/news_events/qa-how-meps-can-eliminate-greenwashing-with-new-eu-rules-on-environmental-claims/
Contact
If you have questions, please contact:
Alison Grace
Senior Press & Communications Manager at ECOS
alison.grace@ecostandard.org
+32 493 19 22 59
ECOS – Environmental Coalition on Standards is an international NGO with a network of members and experts advocating for environmentally friendly technical standards, policies, and laws.
