NEW EU LAW ON GREENWASHING

IBY BLUESIGN® ACADEMY

bluesign® welcomes the news that the EU Parliament has voted overwhelmingly for a new law banning greenwashing and misleading product information, putting a stop to generic and unsubstantiated environmental claims.

n the future, all environmental claims will need to be backed by verified data supporting those statements. Generic phrases that have become commonplace, such as “environmentally friendly,” “natural,” “biodegradable,” “climate neutral,” or “eco” will no longer be permitted without independently assessed and certified proof. The directive will also ban claims that a product has neutral, reduced, or positive impact as a result of using emission offsetting schemes.

Furthermore, the use of sustainability labels will also be regulated. Only those based on official certification schemes or those established by public authorities will be allowed in the EU. As a long-standing opponent of greenwashing in all its forms, bluesign’s Head of Academy, Dr. Daniel Waterkamp, greeted the news as: “A major step in empowering the consumer to make better product choices based upon true environmental performance information.”

The “Greenwashing Directive” is to receive final approval from the Council; then Member States will have 24 months to transpose it into national law. Countries such as France, Germany, and the Netherlands are likely to implement these rules earlier. The new directive will work in tandem with the green claims directive currently being discussed at committee stage in Parliament, which will provide greater detail on the specific conditions for using environmental claims.

The bluesign® Academy is a dedicated team of technical experts committed to delivering valuable sustainability knowledge for society and industry. It can help a business to prepare and validate its environmental claims and to rise above the tide of “greenwashing.”