Green claims, without the greenwash.
The plain-English guide to the EmpCo Directive (EU) 2024/825
Start with what the directive actually says
What is the EmpCo Directive?
Short answer
The EmpCo Directive (Directive (EU) 2024/825, "Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition") is an EU law against greenwashing and early obsolescence. It bans generic green claims, offset-based carbon neutral claims and non-certified sustainability labels. It also requires better information on durability and repairability. It applies across the EU from 27 September 2026.
EmpCo does not stand alone. It updates two laws you may already know. It adds greenwashing rules to the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (UCPD). And it adds information duties to the Consumer Rights Directive (CRD). You will also see it called the ECGT Directive. Same law, different nickname.
The logic is simple. Shoppers want to buy greener products. Companies know this. So the market filled up with green words that mean nothing. The EU's own screening found that more than half of green claims were vague, misleading or unfounded. EmpCo flips the default: if you make a green claim, you need to back it up. If you cannot, drop it.
Key takeaways
- Applies from 27 September 2026, in every EU country, including for products already on the market.
- Generic claims like 'eco-friendly', 'green' or 'climate friendly' are banned without proof of recognised excellent environmental performance.
- Offset-based claims like 'carbon neutral' or 'climate compensated' are banned outright for products.
- Sustainability labels must come from public authorities or a real certification scheme with independent third-party verification.
- Sellers must show a harmonised durability guarantee label and repairability information, including a repair score where EU rules define one.
- It only covers marketing to consumers (B2C). It does not regulate what your product is, only how you present it.
What changes in practice
EmpCo works on two levels. Some practices are blacklisted, banned in all circumstances, no discussion. Others are judged case by case: they are illegal if they can mislead an average consumer into a purchase they would not otherwise make.
| Practice | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Generic environmental claims without proof | Blacklisted (Annex I, point 4a). See banned green claims. | 'Eco-friendly' on packaging with no EU Ecolabel or similar proof. |
| Offset-based climate claims about products | Blacklisted (Annex I, point 4c). See carbon neutral claims. | 'This flight is climate neutral' because the airline funds tree planting. |
| Sustainability labels without certification | Blacklisted (Annex I, point 2a). See label rules. | A self-invented green badge with no independent verification behind it. |
| Claims about the whole product that only apply to part of it | Blacklisted (Annex I, point 4b). | 'Made with recycled material' when only the box is recycled. |
| Presenting legal requirements as your special feature | Blacklisted (Annex I, point 10a). | Advertising 'BPA-free' when the law already bans BPA for that product category. |
| Future promises without a real plan | Case-by-case (Article 6). Needs a public, verified implementation plan. | 'Net zero by 2030' with no measurable targets and no independent expert checking progress. |
| Irrelevant benefits | Case-by-case (Article 6). | 'Gluten-free' bottled water. True, but water never contains gluten. |
| Hiding early-obsolescence information | Case-by-case plus blacklist points on software updates and consumables. | Staying silent about a software update that slows the device down. |
Explore the full guide
Each topic below goes deep on one part of the directive. Together they cover everything: the bans, the labels, the dates, the Commission's official guidance and a practical route to compliance.
Banned green claims
Which words are off limits, which are fine, and what 'recognised excellent environmental performance' means.
Carbon neutral claims ban
Why offset-based claims like 'CO2 neutral' are blacklisted, and what you can still say.
Sustainability label rules
Only certified or government-backed labels survive. Here is what a valid certification scheme looks like.
Durability & repairability
New information duties: guarantees, repair scores, software updates and spare parts.
What is greenwashing?
The problem EmpCo is built to fix, with real examples of misleading green marketing.
Timeline & key dates
Every date that matters, from adoption in 2024 to full application on 27 September 2026.
EmpCo vs Green Claims Directive
One became law. One was withdrawn. How the two relate and what fills the gap.
Commission Q&A (June 2026)
What the European Commission clarified in its official Questions & Answers document.
Compliance checklist
A step-by-step plan to get your claims, labels and product pages ready in time.
Why this matters now
The rules are real, the deadline is fixed, and the fines are large. Here is the situation in four numbers.
27 Sep 2026
The day the EmpCo rules start to bite
50%+
of EU green claims found vague or misleading in Commission screening
230+
sustainability labels in the EU, many with weak verification
Up to 4%
of annual turnover in fines for widespread infringements
Want a human to handle it?
Our specialists audit your claims, verify your labels and get your product pages compliant before the deadline. Tell us your setup and we reply within one working day with a fixed-scope plan.
One working day to a reply. No obligation, no sales sequence.
What you get
- A full inventory of your green claims
- Clear verdicts: keep, fix or drop
- Label and certification review
- A compliance plan mapped to the deadline
Frequently asked questions
What is the EmpCo Directive?
EmpCo stands for Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition. It is Directive (EU) 2024/825. It updates two existing EU consumer laws to fight greenwashing and early obsolescence. It bans vague green claims, offset-based carbon neutral claims and unverified sustainability labels. It also gives shoppers better information about durability and repairability.
When does the EmpCo Directive apply?
The rules apply from 27 September 2026. The directive entered into force on 26 March 2024 and EU countries had to write it into national law by 27 March 2026. From 27 September 2026 traders must comply, including for products that are already on the market.
Who does the EmpCo Directive apply to?
It applies to any trader selling or marketing to consumers in the EU. That includes companies based outside the EU. It only covers business-to-consumer practices. Pure business-to-business communication falls outside its scope.
Is 'carbon neutral' banned in the EU?
Claims like 'carbon neutral' or 'climate compensated' are banned when they rely on offsetting greenhouse gas emissions outside the product's own value chain. Claims based on the product's real lifecycle impact can still be allowed, but they need solid evidence.
Can I still say my product is 'eco-friendly'?
Only in narrow cases. Generic claims like 'eco-friendly', 'green' or 'natural' are banned unless you can show recognised excellent environmental performance, for example an EU Ecolabel. Or you make the claim specific by explaining it clearly on the same medium, right next to the claim.
What are the penalties for breaking the EmpCo rules?
Enforcement happens at national level under the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive. Penalties differ per country but must be effective and dissuasive. For widespread infringements across the EU, fines can reach at least 4% of the trader's annual turnover in the affected countries.
Does the EmpCo Directive replace the Green Claims Directive?
No. They were two separate proposals. The Green Claims Directive was withdrawn by the Commission in June 2025 and never became law. EmpCo was adopted in 2024 and is law. From September 2026, EmpCo is the main EU rulebook for green claims.
Does EmpCo apply to sustainability reports?
Usually not. The Commission's June 2026 Q&A confirms that mandatory corporate sustainability reporting, like CSRD reports aimed at investors, is normally out of scope. But if you reuse content from those reports in consumer marketing, that marketing does fall under the rules.
The rules apply from 27 September 2026
That includes products already on the shelf. Check your claims, labels and product pages now, not after enforcement starts.