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ARTICLE · 26 JANUARY 2024

EU's New Environmental Claims Law Gets Green Light

Cooley LLP
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On 17 January 2024, the European Parliament approved the text for a new European Union directive aimed at ‘empowering consumers for the green transition'...

European UnionEnvironment
Emma Bichet
Emma Bichet
Anushi Amin
Anushi Amin
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On 17 January 2024, the European Parliament approved the text for a new European Union directive aimed at 'empowering consumers for the green transition' by banning the use of certain unsubstantiated generic environmental claims in the EU, such as 'environmentally friendly', as well as claims such as 'climate neutral' based on emissions offsetting schemes. It also regulates the use of sustainability labels and bans certain practices associated with early obsolescence of consumer products.

This new directive forms part of a much larger EU package of measures, which includes the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, the proposed Green Claims Directive and the Right to Repair Directive. The new directive will take effect by amending the current text of the EU Unfair Commercial Practices Directive and Consumer Rights Directive.

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