Technical Information Processing and Trade Department

New EU rules against greenwashing – also relevant for Switzerland

Good day ,

With the new directive "Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition" (EmpCo – EU 2024/825), the European Union is tightening the requirements for environmental, sustainability, climate, and social statements as well as for the use of sustainability labels in communications directed at consumers within the EU.
The objective is to prevent greenwashing and to ensure transparent and reliable information that enables consumers to make informed purchasing decisions.

For companies, this means that claims such as "sustainable", "environmentally friendly" or "climate-neutral" must be clearly substantiated and comprehensible in the future. In addition, private standards and sustainability labels may only be used if they are based on a transparent certification system that is professionally substantiated by independent experts and verified by an independent third party.

The new requirements will apply from 27 September 2026 and affect all companies that advertise to end consumers in the EU area. An early review of existing claims and labels on packaging, websites and marketing material is therefore also recommended for Swiss companies.

Why is this guideline relevant for Swiss companies?

The requirements for environmental and climate statements are becoming increasingly stringent both in the European Union and in Switzerland.
In Switzerland, a specific provision against greenwashing has been in force since 1 January 2025 in the form of Art. 3 para. 1 lit. x UWG. Companies must base statements on climate impact on objective and verifiable bases and be able to substantiate them accordingly.

However, the EmpCo Directive goes one step further. Its requirements apply to all companies that market their products or services to consumers in the European Union, regardless of company size or turnover. This means that Swiss companies are also affected, even if they do not have a location in the EU.

The lack of a transitional period also deserves special attention: advertising claims and sustainability labels already in use must meet the new requirements. This can also affect packaging and labelling that is already on the market.

How does bio.inspecta support you?

A central component of the new regulations is the independent third-party verification of environmental and sustainability statements and private standards and labels.

As an independent verification body, we review your communications based on the applicable requirements and evaluate the evidence for the statements used. This helps you build transparency and trust with customers and business partners while reducing the risk of regulatory challenges and complaints.

Would you like to learn more?

We would be pleased to show you how to efficiently implement the requirements of the EmpCo Directive and benefit from independent third-party verification.

Our experts will competently guide you through the entire verification process, from the analysis of existing claims to the independent confirmation of your sustainability statements.

Contact us for a no-obligation consultation.

bio.inspecta AG

Rrahmon Hoxha
Head of the Processing and Trade Division

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bio.inspecta AG

Monika Mönks
Product Manager

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Kind regards,

the Processing and Trading Team at bio.inspecta AG