Industry Groups Urge Revisions to EU Green Claims Directive

A coalition of 17 industry associations is urging the EU to rethink parts of its Green Claims Directive. Their concern is that the current version could increase costs, cause confusion, and discourage companies from sharing environmental progress.

The latest joint statement was published in May, with signatories from a wide range of industries, including food, fashion, hospitality, toys, cosmetics, and more.

The statement supports the goal of reducing greenwashing and building consumer trust. However, it cautions that the directive, as currently written, could place unnecessary burdens on companies—especially when it comes to basic sustainability claims.

See the previous joint statement (28 Feb 2025).

What the joint statement says

These industry groups aren’t pushing back against the idea of the Green Claims Directive. In fact, they agree that greenwashing should be addressed and that consumers deserve transparency.

Their concern is how the directive is written. As it stands, they believe it could create unnecessary hurdles, particularly for simple, well-intentioned claims.

The statement highlights four areas where improvements are needed: proportional verification, realistic implementation timelines, a clear scope on hazardous substances, and alignment with existing EU laws.

Each is focused on making the rules more balanced, predictable, and practical.

4 key improvements industry groups are asking for

Tailored and Transparent Verification

Businesses want to skip the "one-size-fits-all" approach to proving green claims. They're looking for a verification process that's predictable and makes sense for different types of claims.

What they want: The level of proof required should match the claim's complexity. A simple, straightforward environmental statement shouldn't demand the same extensive, costly verification as a more intricate one.

Why it matters: If the bar is too high for even simple claims, companies may stop communicating about their sustainability efforts altogether. This "green hushing" means consumers get less information and businesses have less reason to go green.

As highlighted in the joint statement, the cost of verifying complex claims can be 8 to 16 times higher than that of simpler ones. 

Realistic Implementation Timelines

Implementing new, complex regulations takes time. Businesses are stressing the need for adequate lead time, ensuring new systems are operational and legal ambiguities are resolved before enforcement begins.

What they want: Sufficient time to adjust to the new regulations. This includes a clear path for new verification procedures to be fully operational and for all necessary legal clarity to be provided. Products already on shelves with existing, compliant claims should also be allowed to remain.

Why it matters: Rushing this could lead to absurd outcomes, like businesses being forced to destroy perfectly good packaging just because a claim is outdated. That's hardly "green" and directly undermines the EU's own environmental goals.

For context, the general timeline for significant enterprise software implementations, like an ERP or a complex sustainability reporting system, is 12-18 months, often longer for large organizations. This means expecting businesses to overhaul their entire marketing and supply chain communication processes, potentially involving new data collection and verification tools, in a few months is simply unrealistic. 

Defined Scope for Hazardous Substances

The Green Claims Directive is seen by many as the wrong place to legislate on hazardous substances. Existing, dedicated EU laws are already designed for this purpose.

What they want: This directive shouldn't introduce new rules on hazardous substances. There's a risk of overlapping with existing, specialized EU regulations like REACH and RoHS, which are already designed for chemical safety.

Why it matters: If the Green Claims Directive starts regulating hazardous substances, it could create overlapping or contradictory requirements. Mixing these regulatory areas would create unnecessary confusion. 

For example, a product could be compliant and legally allowed on the market under REACH, but still face new restrictions under the Green Claims rules. That would create confusion, disrupt supply chains, and complicate compliance for businesses trying to follow the law.

The joint statement warns that this overreach could also lead to unintended consequences, like limiting the ability to communicate truthful claims about safe and legally compliant products.

No Duplication with Existing EU Laws

Businesses are calling for clear lines of demarcation to prevent the directive from covering ground already addressed by other EU legislation.

What they want: Clear exclusions for areas already covered by laws such as the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), especially for B2B communications.

Why it matters: Regulatory overlap generates unnecessary administrative burdens, inflates compliance costs, and introduces legal uncertainty. It works against efforts to simplify the regulatory environment and can lead to frustrating inconsistencies for businesses.

Many large EU companies are already adapting to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which mandates extensive, audited sustainability reporting. If the Green Claims Directive then requires separate, possibly conflicting, reporting for individual product claims, it adds an entirely new layer of complexity. 

Next steps for Green Claims Directive

The Green Claims Directive is a step in the right direction. But without clear improvements, businesses warn it could do more harm than good, both for the environment and for consumer transparency.

The industry isn’t rejecting the directive. It’s asking for smarter rules that work in practice, not just on paper.
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Signatories of the Joint Statement

AIM, European Brands Association
Represents brand manufacturers in Europe, focusing on creating a favorable environment for brands to thrive.

A.I.S.E., International Association for Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products
Representative body for the soaps, detergents, and maintenance products industry across Europe.

AmCham EU, American Chamber of Commerce to the EU
Representative of American companies in Europe, advocating for a strong transatlantic economy and improved business environment.

The Brewers of Europe
Represents the national brewers' associations and their member breweries throughout the European continent.

BusinessEurope
The leading advocate for European business, playing a vital role in shaping EU policies and ensuring a competitive business landscape.

CEPI, Confederation of European Paper Industries
Represents the European pulp and paper industry, promoting its competitiveness and environmental performance.

CLEPA | European Association of Automotive Suppliers
Representing the interests of the automotive supply industry.

Cosmetics Europe
Association for the cosmetics and personal care industry, promoting safety and innovation.

EBCA, the European Branded Clothing Association
Represents the interests of branded clothing companies in Europe, focusing on fair trade and intellectual property.

EDANA
The leading global association serving the interests of the nonwovens industry, promoting its growth and sustainability.

EuroCommerce
The principal European association representing the retail and wholesale sector, advocating for its interests at the EU level.

EUROPEN - The European Organisation for Packaging and the Environment
An industry association focused on packaging and the environment, promoting sustainable packaging solutions.

FESI, Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry
The representative body for the European sporting goods industry, promoting sports participation and industry growth.

FoodDrink Europe
Represents the European food and drink industry, promoting its competitiveness and sustainability.

NATRUE, the International Natural and Organic Cosmetic Association
An international association committed to promoting and protecting natural and organic cosmetics through strict standards.

spiritsEUROPE
Represents the spirits industry in Europe, advocating for a responsible and competitive market for spirits.

TIE, Toy Industries of Europe
The trade association for the toy industry in Europe, committed to promoting safe and high-quality toys.

UNESDA, Soft Drinks Europe
Represents the non-alcoholic beverage industry in Europe, promoting responsible business practices and innovation.

WFA, World Federation of Advertisers
The global organization representing advertisers, promoting effective and responsible marketing worldwide.