EmpCo: EU Directive Against Greenwashing
Starting in September 2026, the EmpCo Directive will introduce new requirements for environmental and sustainability claims in the EU. In the future, companies will be required to provide concrete evidence to support their environmental claims. General terms such as “green” or “sustainable” will no longer be permitted—what matters are verifiable facts and transparent impact.
With everwave’s Plastic Credits, companies are already laying the groundwork for EmpCo-compliant sustainability reporting: Each Plastic Credit is fully documented and individually traceable.
Verifiable. Transparent. Traceable.
What is the EmpCo policy?
The EU is stepping up its measures against greenwashing and misleading environmental claims.
Starting September 27, 2026, stricter requirements will apply to environmental claims that companies make to consumers. With the EmpCo Directive (“Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition”), the EU is establishing clear rules for more transparent sustainability communication: General statements such as “environmentally friendly,” “ecological,” or “sustainable” may no longer be used without supporting evidence.
Environmental claims must be measurable, verifiable, and supported by reliable information. Companies are required to transparently report the actual impact of their sustainability measures.
The EmpCo Directive is part of the European Green Deal and strengthens consumer protection by combating greenwashing and misleading environmental and social claims.
What Does the EU Greenwashing Directive Mean for Businesses?
With the EmpCo Directive, the EU is setting new standards for sustainability reporting.
In the future, companies will no longer be allowed to make blanket environmental claims; instead, they must back up statements such as “sustainable,” “environmentally friendly,” or “green” with concrete evidence.
The goal of the directive is to better protect consumers from misleading environmental claims and to curb greenwashing.
Sanctions and Enforcement
Violations of the new regulations can have significant legal and financial consequences for companies. Enforcement often begins with a warning letter under competition law issued by competitors or consumer protection organizations. If no action is taken in response, legal action such as preliminary injunctions or injunctive relief may follow.
The financial risk is particularly significant: In cases of serious and cross-border violations, authorities can impose fines of up to 4% of annual revenue. Under certain circumstances, claims for damages may also arise.
Enforcement of the new rules will be easier, as certain misleading practices on the so-called “blacklist” are automatically considered unfair. In these cases, there is no need for a time-consuming review of each individual case.
Prepare your company for EmpCo:
Identifies critical environmental claims before the EmpCo guideline takes effect. Our AI audit tool scans your website for environmental claims.
Ready for EmpCo: With Plastic Credits from everwave
Our Plastic Credits combine tangible environmental impact with transparent documentation. They meet the requirements of the EmpCo guidelines and are based on plastic waste that has actually been collected.
One Plastic Credit represents 1 kg of waste that has been collected from rivers and waterways around the world, sorted, and processed. Companies make a measurable impact with Plastic Credits—because Plastic Credits meet the EmpCo requirements:
Full Traceability
Transparent Documentation
Individual Identification
This is how Plastic Credits meet the requirements
- Verifiable Environmental Performance: Documented Collection and Processing of Plastic Waste
- Transparency: complete documentation of all process steps
- Traceability: Geodata, Collection Sites, and Individual Credit IDs
- Measurability: Tracking of every quantity of plastic collected and processed, with no double counting
- Credible Communication: Evidence Instead of General Environmental Promises
Get advice now
The transition period is underway. Learn how your company can achieve measurable impact with Plastic Credits and prepare for the requirements of the EmpCo Directive.
Schedule your consultation here:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
everwave’s Plastic Credits are based on a transparent tracking system. Every credit can be traced from the collection site through sorting to further processing. This provides you with reliable data and evidence for your communications.
No. Plastic Credits are not a substitute for measures to prevent waste or reduce one’s own plastic consumption. They enable companies to generate additional, measurable environmental impact and to document it transparently. Your communication should always be based on this.
Each Plastic Credit is assigned a unique identification number and is recorded in our internal tracking system. This ensures that each credit can be uniquely identified and prevents double counting.
The EmpCo Guideline (“Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition”) tightens the requirements for environmental and sustainability claims. Going forward, companies must ensure that their environmental claims are transparent, verifiable, and substantiated. General statements such as “sustainable” or “environmentally friendly” are no longer permitted without supporting evidence.
The EmpCo Directive is currently being transposed into national law (in Germany via the UWG—the Unfair Competition Act). This means that, as of the effective date, vague green claims will open the floodgates to costly cease-and-desist letters from competitors and consumer protection organizations. In addition, systematic violations may result in administrative fines, which can be set at up to 4% of annual turnover throughout the EU.
