The European Union has agreed to prohibit products sold in the community from being advertised with labels such as "eco", or "natural" if they do not have relevant evidence to support these claims, as well as prohibiting manufacturers from encouraging consumers to look for replacement parts for materials such as printer ink "sooner than strictly necessary."
The negotiators of the Council - led by the Spanish presidency - and those of the European Parliament have agreed on a new directive to "empower consumers in the face of the ecological transition", with new additions to the list of commercial practices prohibited in the EU or measures tougher against early obsolescence.
"We must not advertise products that break down too soon. In addition, we are clearing up the chaos of environmental claims, which will now have to be justified, and claims based on emissions compensation will be banned," explained the European Parliament's chief negotiator, the Croatian socialist Biljana Borzan.
For example, ecological claims based on supposed compensation for emissions of polluting gases will be restricted, as some airlines do when selling their plane tickets, which will mean that it will not be possible to "claim that a product has a neutral, minor or environmental impact." improved" if they are guided by "unverified compensation programs.
Commercial communications about "products that contain characteristics that reduce their durability" will also be limited when information is available about the harm caused by said characteristic, or claims about the durability of a product if they are not supported by evidence.
In general, all eco-labels that are not based on certification schemes approved or established by public authorities are prohibited, as well as manufacturers presenting software updates as necessary when they only improve the functionality of the application.
"With the commitment achieved today, consumers will have the necessary information to make appropriate ecological decisions and will have greater protection against ecological and social money laundering, in addition to other unfair commercial practices," the Minister of Consumer Affairs stressed in a statement. acting Spanish, Alberto Garzón.
The European Commissioner for Justice, for his part, applauded the agreement and stressed that, with the new legislation, consumers "must be able to find answers" to questions such as whether a product is designed to last, whether it can be repaired, whether it is covered by a guarantee of greater durability in case of breakage and whether the information on the carbon footprint of the product is accurate and reliable.
Once the procedures are completed in Brussels, Member States will have 24 months to adapt their legislation to the directive, so consumers will have to see the changes in products between the end of 2025 and the beginning of 2026.
