Empowering consumers for the green transition
TA-9-2023-0201 · P9_TA(2023)0201 · PE736.537
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Parliament's amended version of a proposed directive amending Directives 2005/29/EC and 2011/83/EU to protect consumers against unfair practices and improve information for the green transition.¶ It bans generic environmental claims without evidence of excellent environmental performance, claims based on carbon offsetting, and non-certified sustainability labels.¶¶¶ It bans practices linked to early obsolescence, including features limiting durability, marketing goods that cannot be repaired, and premature replacement of consumables.¶¶¶ It requires traders to give pre-contractual information on durability, reparability, spare parts, repair services and software updates, and to show a label on the legal guarantee of conformity.¶¶¶ It requires the Commission to report on the directive's application and to issue easy-to-understand guidelines for businesses, taking account of SMEs.¶¶¶
Key points
- Environmental claims must be reliable, clear, understandable and fair; companies also have a role in promoting a green transition.¶
- Article 6(1) of Directive 2005/29/EC is amended to add environmental or social impact, durability, reusability, recyclability and reparability to the main product characteristics that can be misleading.¶¶
- Future environmental performance claims are prohibited when based solely on carbon offsetting or not supported by clear, objective, quantified, science-based and verifiable commitments, targets, a detailed implementation plan and independent monitoring.¶¶
- Product comparisons must give consumers information on the method, the products compared, the suppliers and measures to keep information up to date, and must be objective.¶
- Sustainability labels not based on a certification scheme or not established by public authorities are prohibited; certification schemes must meet transparency, credibility, third-party monitoring and complaints conditions.¶¶
- Generic environmental claims such as 'environmentally friendly', 'eco-friendly', 'green', 'natural', 'sustainable' or 'climate neutral' are prohibited without evidence of excellent environmental performance relevant to the claim.¶¶
- Practices associated with early obsolescence are prohibited, including introducing features that limit durability, marketing goods that do not allow repair, and marketing goods requiring premature replacement of consumables.¶¶¶
- Marketing goods designed to limit functionality when using consumables, spare parts or accessories not provided by the original producer is prohibited.¶¶
- Traders must provide pre-contractual information on durability, reparability, the availability of updates and, where applicable, the reparability score, for all types of goods.¶¶¶
- Traders must provide a label indicating the duration of the legal guarantee of conformity and, if relevant, its voluntary extension as a commercial guarantee of durability, displayed prominently and legibly.¶¶¶
- Producers must make relevant information available to traders so they can meet their information obligations; traders must pass it on to consumers.¶¶¶
- The Commission must submit a report on the directive's application and progress within 5 years of adoption, and present easy-to-understand guidelines for businesses, considering SMEs' needs.¶¶¶
Who is affected
- Traders and producers of goods, digital content and digital services, who must provide information and avoid banned practices.¶¶¶
- Consumers, who gain protection against misleading environmental claims and better information on durability and reparability.¶¶
- Small and medium-sized enterprises, whose administrative and financial burdens should be kept to a minimum in Commission guidelines.¶
- Certification scheme operators, which must meet transparency, independence and complaints requirements.¶¶