The EmpCo Directive is in force.

The EmpCo Directive is Directive (EU) 2024/825 on empowering consumers for the green transition. It amends the EU's Unfair Commercial Practices Directive and Consumer Rights Directive, and adds greenwashing practices, such as generic environmental claims, offset-based neutrality claims and self-made sustainability labels, to the list of commercial practices that are banned in all circumstances. It also adds rules on durability, repair and software updates.

EU countries must apply the rules from 27 September 2026. They had to write the directive into national law by 27 March 2026, and many missed that deadline, so check the national status in each market you sell in with your advisor.

There is no statutory transition period. The Commission's Q&A calls for proportionate enforcement for old stock, such as packaging already in shops, where stickers or extra information at the point of sale can help. Online claims can be corrected quickly and cheaply, so expect little leeway there. Germany adopted a transitional rule for products placed on the market before the deadline, and it explicitly does not cover websites.

Any business marketing to consumers in the EU, in any sector, wherever it is based. Pure business-to-business communication falls outside the directive, but national law can go further, and a public website or social post is visible to consumers too.

A broad environmental claim that is not specified clearly and prominently on the same medium, such as "environmentally friendly", "eco-friendly", "green", "ecological" or "climate friendly". The directive's own examples also include "energy efficient", "biodegradable" and "biobased". Such claims are banned unless you can demonstrate recognized excellent environmental performance relevant to the claim, for example through the EU Ecolabel.

Not on the basis of offsetting. Claiming that a product has a neutral, reduced or positive impact on the environment in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, based on offsetting, is banned in all circumstances. You can still communicate real emission reductions in your own value chain, and you can talk about the climate projects you support, as long as you do not turn them into a product-level neutrality claim.

Yes, if the label is based on a certification scheme with independent third-party verification, or established by a public authority. Labels, seals and badges a company created for itself are banned.

Only with clear, objective, publicly available and verifiable commitments in a detailed and realistic implementation plan, verified by an independent third-party expert who monitors progress regularly, with the findings available to consumers.

Penalties are set nationally. Authorities can order you to stop or correct claims and impose fines. For widespread infringements that affect consumers in several EU countries, the maximum fine must be at least 4% of the trader's annual turnover in the countries concerned, or at least 2 million euros where turnover information is not available. Competitors and consumer organizations can also act.

No. The EmpCo Directive is adopted law and applies now. The Green Claims Directive was a separate proposal with detailed substantiation and pre-verification rules. In June 2025 the Commission announced its intention to withdraw it, and negotiations are on hold. It is not law.

Typetone scans your live pages, listings, ads and assets for environmental claims, such as generic terms like "eco-friendly" or "green", offset-based carbon neutral claims, self-made sustainability labels and unsupported future targets. Every finding is reported with the page, the sentence and the rule it may break, with a full audit trail.

No, it makes legal review workable at scale. Typetone finds the claims and does the repetitive checking, so your legal or compliance advisors spend their time on judgment calls instead of hunting through thousands of pages.