EU Launches Infringement Action Against 20 Member States over Green Claims Directive Delays

According to industry reports, the European Commission has opened infringement procedures against 20 EU Member States for failing to notify full transposition of new rules on environmental claims and sustainability labels into national law.

Letters of formal notice were sent to Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Cyprus, Latvia, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Finland and Sweden. The Commission said these countries had not yet communicated complete implementation measures for the Directive on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (Directive (EU) 2024/825).

The directive is designed to standardize how environmental and sustainability claims are communicated on products sold in the EU. It targets misleading “green” labels and outdated environmental symbols, while also requiring clearer disclosure of product durability, repairability and consumer guarantee rights.

Member States were required to transpose the directive into national law by 27 March 2026, ahead of its application date of 27 September 2026. The Commission said the countries concerned have not yet confirmed full alignment with the requirements.

Each of the 20 Member States now has two months to respond and notify the Commission of completed transposition measures. If responses are deemed insufficient, the Commission may escalate the process by issuing a reasoned opinion.

The directive forms part of a broader EU effort to tighten consumer protection rules around environmental marketing claims and reduce greenwashing risks across retail and packaging markets, where sustainability labeling has become increasingly widespread.

Previous infringement cases have shown the Commission’s willingness to pursue enforcement when Member States delay implementation of EU environmental legislation, including renewable energy and waste-related directives.

Source: Packaging Europe

SUNSHINE Spotlight: The European Commission is stepping up enforcement pressure as multiple Member States delay implementation of new EU rules on environmental claims and sustainability labeling.