European Commission’s Plans to Withdraw Green Claims Directive Spark Concern
The European Commission’s unexpected plan to withdraw the proposal for a directive on environmentally related advertising claims, also known as the Green Claims Directive, has raised concerns among consumer advocates. Ramona Pop, a board member of the German Consumer Association (VZBV), expressed her worries, emphasizing the need for clear rules to regulate advertisements making sustainability claims.
According to Pop, consumers should be able to easily recognize whether a product is genuinely sustainable or if the manufacturer is simply making a claim. The European Commission should not reconsider its proposal for the Green Claims Directive, she stressed.
Despite the Commission’s plans, the negotiations over the final text between the European Parliament and the member states are proceeding as usual, Pop noted. There is no justification for giving in to the pressure from business representatives and parliamentary factions, simply because the negotiation outcome does not meet their expectations, she added.