The recent scrapping of the Green Claims Directive (the anti-greenwashing law) by the European Union (EU) has led to the reactions from several organisations, who demand clarity regarding the law.
The organisations have asked for a stable path forward regarding the law, which was designed to put pressure on brands promoting misleading eco-marketing campaigns. The issue was highlighted in a letter by the BEUC (European Consumer Organisation), which mentioned the significance of the law in fostering transparency in the European market. The letter also read that debunking of the law undermines the years of efforts put in the making of this law and that taking it back erodes the trust of consumers and further compromises Europe’s stand on sustainability.
Additionally, the scrapping of the Green Claims Directive also drew reactions from the European textile organisation, Euratex, which while welcomed the EU’s commitment of minimising regulatory burdens specifically towards smaller businesses, reiterated the companies need for an established framework at the EU level and Euratex also added that there’s no space for improvisations in the matters of compliances.
Even the NGOs including ClientEarth, ECOS, Carbon Market Watch and the European Environmental Bureau stated in a joint statement that in the absence of the law, the greenwashing practices will continue to exist. Their joint statement also mentioned the need for policymakers to respect the legislative process and that they should on the contrary work with negotiators towards a solution rather than blocking the crucial law.
This law (Green Claims Directive) was blocked last week amid the pressure from the centre-right European People’s Party, which was unsatisfied with the text and asked the EU to pull it back. With the discarding of the law, Maciej Berestecki, The European Commission’s (EC) spokesperson had earlier mentioned through email that this move contradicted the agenda of the commission, which was focussed on simplifying the process.
