The EU Directive Empowering Consumers For The Green Transition Has Been Adopted

Thanks to Livia Petrucci for collaborating on this article

The EU Directive empowering consumers for the green transition through better protection against unfair practices and better information¹ ("Directive") was adopted on February 28, 2024.

The Directive seeks to counter unfair commercial practices that prevent consumers from making sustainable consumption choices, including what are known as greenwashing practices (meaning practices involving misleading environmental claims). The Directive amends the EU Directive on unfair commercial practices² by introducing new definitions for terms such as "environmental claim" and "certification scheme," amending the provisions on misleading actions and omissions, and amending the list of specific misleading commercial practices that are deemed unfair in all circumstance and are therefore prohibited.