MEPs have adopted a new EU law which will improve product labelling and ban the use of misleading environmental claims, also referred to as “greenwashing”.
The use of general environmental claims such as “environmentally friendly”, “natural”, “biodegradable”, “climate neutral” or “eco” without proof will be banned.
The use of sustainability labels will be regulated, allowing only the use of labels based on official certification schemes or established by public authorities.
Additionally, the law will ban claims that a product has a neutral, reduced or positive impact on the environment because of emissions offsetting schemes.
Greenwashing
The directive aiming to protect consumers from misleading marketing practices in relation to greenwashing was adopted with 593 votes to 21 and 14 abstentions.
Describing the outcome of the vote yesterday (January 17), as a “big win” for all Europeans, the parliament’s rapporteur, Croatian MEP Biljana Borzan said:
“Companies can no longer trick people by saying that plastic bottles are good because the company planted trees somewhere – or say that something is sustainable without explaining how.”
In addition, a green claims directive is currently being discussed in the parliament, which will be more specific and elaborate the conditions for using environmental claims.
Over half of green claims give vague, misleading or unfounded information, and 40% of claims have no supporting evidence, according to the European Commission.
There are 230 sustainable labels and 100 green energy labels in the EU, with vastly different levels of transparency, figures by the commission show.
EU law
The new directive will also ban unfounded durability claims, prompts to replace consumables earlier than strictly necessary and presenting goods as repairable when they are not.
For example, saying that a washing machine will last for 5,000 washing cycles if this is not true under normal conditions, according to the European Parliament.
The directive now needs to receive final approval from the EU council. It will be published in the Official Journal and member states will have two years to transpose it into national law.