EmpCo Directive 2026: All Rules and Obligations at a Glance
The EmpCo Directive (EU) 2024/825 takes effect on September 27, 2026, and prohibits unsubstantiated environmental claims such as “sustainable” or “climate-neutral”—here you’ll find all the rules, obligations, and penalties summarized at a glance.
Legal basis: Directive (EU) 2024/825
German Implementation: 3rd Amendment to the Unfair Competition Act (UWG)
Effective as of: September 27, 2026
What is the EmpCo policy?
- EmpCo stands for “Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition”—in other words, empowering consumers for the green transition.
- Official title: Directive (EU) 2024/825 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
- Adopted on February 28, 2024; published in the Official Journal of the EU on March 6, 2024; entered into force on March 26, 2024.
- It is part of the European Green Deal and is not a new law in its own right, but rather a strengthening of existing consumer protection laws.
- National Law: In Germany, the Directive is primarily incorporated into the Unfair Competition Act (UWG)—implemented through the Third UWG Amendment Act.
- Goal: To protect consumers from misleading environmental claims (greenwashing) and misleading social claims (social washing).
- Background: A 2020 European Commission investigation found that more than half of all environmental claims examined in the EU were vague, misleading, or unsubstantiated.
Schedule and Validity
- March 26, 2024: The EmpCo Directive takes effect at the EU level.
- March 2026: Deadline for Member States to transpose the directive into national law.
- September 27, 2026: Mandatory implementation in all 27 EU member states
- The separate Green Claims Directive, which was actually intended to complement EmpCo, remains in the legislative process; trilogue negotiations are currently on hold. Until further notice, EmpCo is the only binding EU instrument against greenwashing.
Prohibited Environmental Statements
The EmpCo policy specifically addresses:
General Environmental Statements
Misleading Waste Offset (“Plastic Neutrality”)
Unsubstantiated “Plastic-Free” & Circular Economy Goals
Proprietary sustainability labels
Sanctions and Enforcement
Companies face significant consequences for violating the new regulations. The initial response in the market is typically a warning letter under competition law. If the affected company fails to comply, preliminary injunctions and injunctive relief actions may follow shortly thereafter.
Financial penalties pose a particular risk: In cases of serious, cross-border violations, fines of up to 4% of annual revenue may be imposed. In addition, under certain conditions, direct claims for damages may be considered. Enforcement is significantly expedited for plaintiffs and authorities, as certain violations on the so-called “blacklist” are automatically deemed unfair—eliminating the need for time-consuming case-by-case review by the courts.
Who Is Affected by the Directive
The EmpCo Directive does not apply only to large corporations—it applies to any company that markets products or services to consumers in the EU, regardless of size, industry, or place of business.
Companies in the EU'
Companies outside the EU
All Industries
Sustainability Report
Why should we take action regarding EmpCo now?
The transition period is underway. Companies that do not adapt their communications in time risk:
- Warnings and Fines Due to Stricter Enforcement
- Reputational Damage from Public Criticism of Greenwashing
- Loss of trust among increasingly critical consumers
The sooner you review your statements, the more time you’ll have to make informed adjustments.
Our AI Audit Tool
The EmpCo-compliant alternative: everwave Plastic Credits
The new guideline rewards precision and penalizes vague claims. The legally sound approach for your marketing is to use what are known as “contribution claims.” With everwave, you communicate measurable impact instead of empty phrases.
Certified Impact: For every euro, we verifiably remove 1 kg of waste from the environment. Externally audited and transparently traceable.
Authentic marketing materials: You’ll receive high-resolution photos and videos from our cleanups around the world for your campaigns—the strongest proof for your customers.
Reliable Communication: Transform your risky “climate-neutral” claims into transparent impact statements that meet the strict EmpCo guidelines.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
It is an EU directive that has been transposed into German law and will take effect in September. Directive (EU) 2024/825 (Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition) will prohibit vague and unsubstantiated environmental claims (greenwashing) starting in September 2026 in order to better protect consumers.
Traditional green claims often assert a product characteristic (e.g., “climate-neutral”) that is difficult to prove. A contribution claim transparently states the specific contribution you are making—for example, how many kilograms of plastic waste have been verifiably collected thanks to your support.
The audit is completely free for established companies and brands. We manually screen requests to ensure high quality.
The EU prohibits advertising claims based on the offsetting of emissions outside a company’s own value chain. Instead, companies must transparently communicate what they are actually doing or directly financing.
