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From September 2026 onwards, the EmpCo Directive will introduce new requirements for environmental and sustainability claims across the EU. Companies will be required to substantiate their environmental claims with clear evidence. Broad terms such as “green” or “sustainable” will no longer be sufficient. What matters are verifiable facts and transparent, measurable impact.
With everwave’s Plastic Credits, companies can already lay the foundation for EmpCo-compliant sustainability communication today. Every Plastic Credit is fully documented, independently verified, and individually traceable.
Verifiable. Transparent. Traceable.
The European Union is tightening its measures against greenwashing and misleading environmental claims.
From September 27, 2026, stricter requirements will apply to environmental claims communicated by companies to consumers. With the EmpCo Directive (Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition), the EU is establishing clear rules for more transparent sustainability communication. General claims such as “environmentally friendly”, “eco-friendly”, or “sustainable” may no longer be used without appropriate substantiation.
Environmental claims must be measurable, verifiable, and supported by robust evidence. Companies will be required to communicate the actual impact of their sustainability initiatives in a transparent and credible manner.
The EmpCo Directive is part of the European Green Deal and strengthens consumer protection by addressing greenwashing as well as misleading environmental and social claims.
With the EmpCo Directive, the EU sets new standards for sustainability communication.
Companies will no longer be able to use environmental claims across the board – terms like “sustainable,” “environmentally friendly,” or “green” must be backed by concrete evidence.
The directive aims to better protect consumers from misleading environmental promises and curb greenwashing.
Violations of the new requirements can have significant legal and financial consequences for companies. Enforcement will often begin with a cease-and-desist letter issued by a competitor or consumer protection organization. If the company fails to respond appropriately, legal action may follow, including preliminary injunctions and cease-and-desist claims.
The financial risks are particularly significant. In cases of serious and cross-border infringements, authorities may impose fines of up to 4% of a company’s annual turnover. In addition, claims for damages may arise under certain circumstances.
Enforcement of the new rules will also become easier. Certain misleading practices are included on the so-called “black list” and are therefore automatically considered unfair commercial practices. In these cases, a complex case-by-case assessment may no longer be required, allowing regulators and claimants to take action more quickly and effectively.
The transition period is running. Companies that fail to adapt their communication in time risk:
Warnings and fines as enforcement becomes stricter
Reputational damage following public criticism of greenwashing
Loss of trust among increasingly critical consumers
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The sooner you review your claims, the more time you have to make well-founded adjustments.
Want to know which specific claims your company needs to revise now? Use our EmpCo Check to get an automated analysis of the current claims on your website.
Our Plastic Credits connect real environmental impact with transparent documentation. They meet the requirements of the EmpCo Directive and are based on plastic waste actually collected.
Every Plastic Credit represents 1 kg of waste collected, sorted, and processed from rivers and waterways worldwide. With Plastic Credits, companies create measurable impact – because Plastic Credits meet the EmpCo requirements:Â
Every Plastic Credit is based on plastic waste actually collected. The waste is documented at the collection point and recorded with exact coordinates. This makes it possible to trace where the plastic was collected, when the collection took place, and how much was recorded.
After collection, the materials are sorted, processed, and prepared for further processing at everwave Zero-Waste Centers. Every single processing step is documented digitally and logged in an internal tracking system. This creates a complete record and rules out double counting.
Every Plastic Credit is assigned its own unique ID. This means each credit can be tracked, checked, and documented individually. The impact remains fully traceable and auditable at all times.
Measurable environmental action: Documented collection and processing of plastic wasteÂ
Transparency: complete documentation of every process stepÂ
Traceability: geodata, collection sites and unique Credit IDsÂ
Measurability: every collected and processed amount of plastic is recorded, double counting excluded
Credible communication: Evidence instead of vague environmental promises
The transition period is running out. Learn how your company can create measurable impact with Plastic Credits while preparing for the requirements of the Empowering Consumers Directive (EmpCo).
everwave Plastic Credits are based on a transparent tracking system. Every credit can be traced from the collection site through sorting to processing. This gives you solid data and evidence for your communication.
No. Plastic Credits do not replace measures to prevent waste or reduce your own plastic use. They let companies create additional measurable environmental impact and document it transparently. Your communication should always be based on that.
Every Plastic Credit is assigned an individual identification number and documented in our internal tracking system. This means each credit is clearly attributable and double counting is ruled out.
The EmpCo Directive (“Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition”) tightens the requirements for environmental and sustainability claims. Companies will need to make their environmental claims transparent, verifiable, and evidence-based. Generic claims like “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 Act Against Unfair Competition). This means: from the effective date, vague green claims open the door to costly cease-and-desist notices from competitors and consumer protection associations. Systematic violations can also trigger regulatory fines, which can be set EU-wide at up to 4% of annual turnover.
