Beyond ‘Carbon Neutral’: New EU Rules for Green Claims Apply from September 2026

What does the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (ECGT) prohibit? What does it still allow? And what does it mean for corporate climate strategy and communications?

From 27 September 2026, new EU rules on environmental claims will apply across all 27 EU Member States. The Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (ECGT) significantly tightens the legal framework governing business-to-consumer environmental claims, introducing new restrictions on green claims, sustainability labels and carbon-neutrality claims.

Among other things, the ECGT prohibits claims, on the basis of GHG offsetting, that a product has a neutral, reduced or positive environmental impact in terms of GHG emissions. It also introduces strict rules for generic environmental claims such as “green” or “climate friendly”, restricts the use of certain sustainability labels, and prohibits claims that overstate the scope of an environmental benefit.

This legal brief examines what the ECGT prohibits, what it allows, and what the new framework generally means for corporate climate strategy and communications, including:

• The scope of the ECGT rules on environmental claims
• How the ECGT tightens existing EU rules on greenwashing
• What the ECGT implies for generic environmental claims, sustainability labels, and carbon credits and/or climate-related claims
• How companies should prepare for ECGT compliance
• Potential consequences for non-compliance
• How Climate Focus can support companies in navigating the ECGT’s legal implications