The importance of ecological claims - how to take advantage of opportunities

Ecological requirements are extremely important for the ecological transition of the economy. They visibly demonstrate companies' commitment to the long-term well-being of all people and the planet. Obviously, ecological claims must be accurate and substantiated.

In 2020, the EU Commission carried out an inventory of environmental claims against the principles of the EU Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (UCPD): clarity, unequivocalness, precision and verifiability. The study found that 53 % claims provided vague, misleading or unsubstantiated information and 40 % claims were unsubstantiated.

In order to strengthen the position of consumers during the ecological transition, in March 2023 the EU Commission presented to the European Parliament a proposal for a directive on ecological claims (GCD). The directive, due to enter into force in 2028, seeks to ensure that all explicit environmental claims are substantiated and clearly communicated. The main objective of the directive is to eliminate unverified and deceptive greenwashing practices and help consumers make more informed decisions. To the same end, the revision of the Swiss Unfair Competition Act (UCA), which will take effect on January 1, 2025, requires that environmental claims be documented and objectively verifiable. (Daniel Lucien Bühr, Gabriela Svalduzová, more at lexology.com)