• The European Commission has opened infringement procedures against 20 EU Member States over incomplete transposition of green claims legislation.
• The Directive on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition targets vague, misleading, or unverified sustainability claims and labels.
• Member States have two months to respond before the Commission may escalate cases through reasoned opinions and potential court action.

Brussels is tightening pressure on national governments as the EU prepares to enforce new anti-greenwashing rules across its single market.

The European Commission has sent letters of formal notice to 20 Member States. The action targets countries that have not fully reported how they have transposed the Directive on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition into national law.

The countries named are Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Cyprus, Latvia, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Finland and Sweden.

The directive is a central part of the EU’s consumer protection agenda. It aims to make environmental claims clearer, more reliable, and easier to verify. It also seeks to stop companies from using vague sustainability language that cannot be supported with evidence.

Green Claims Face Tighter Scrutiny

Adopted by EU lawmakers in 2024, the directive was designed to protect consumers from misleading green claims and other greenwashing practices.

It bans generic environmental claims that are not backed by proof. These include broad terms such as “environmentally friendly” or “biodegradable” when companies cannot verify them. The rules also target claims based only on emissions offsetting schemes.

For businesses, the directive raises the compliance bar. Sustainability labels will need to be based on official certification schemes or established by public authorities. That change could reduce the number of weak or confusing labels used on products.

The Commission has previously cited studies showing that more than half of green claims made by companies in the EU were vague or misleading. It also found that 40% were completely unsubstantiated.

That evidence helped shape the directive. It also explains why Brussels is now pushing Member States to move faster.

Product Durability Moves Into Focus

The directive also goes beyond marketing language.

It includes rules designed to improve information on product durability and repairability. Companies will need to make guarantee information more visible. The legislation also calls for a harmonized label that gives more prominence to goods with an extended guarantee period.

The rules ban unfounded durability claims. They also prohibit prompts that encourage consumers to replace consumables earlier than necessary. Companies will also be barred from presenting goods as repairable when they are not.

For manufacturers and retailers, this creates a wider governance issue. Claims about circularity, repairability, and product life will need stronger internal controls. Marketing, legal, product, and sustainability teams will need to work more closely.

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Member States Miss Transposition Deadline

Member States had until 27 March 2026 to transpose the directive into national law. The rules are due to apply from 27 September 2026.

The Commission said the 20 countries have not informed Brussels of all steps taken to adopt the directive into national law.

Each Member State now has two months to respond. They must notify the Commission of complete transposition measures. If they fail to do so, the Commission may issue a reasoned opinion.

Under EU infringement procedures, the Commission can take legal action when Member States fail to implement EU law. The process starts with a letter of formal notice. It can then move to a reasoned opinion. If non-compliance continues, the matter can be referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union.

Penalties can follow if the Court finds that a country has failed to meet its obligations.

Enforcement Pressure Is Building

The latest action fits into a broader EU enforcement push across sustainability, energy, and waste policy.

In 2024, the Commission opened infringement procedures against several Member States. France faced action over waste sorting labelling requirements. The Commission said France had failed to address shortcomings under Articles 34 to 36 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

That case has now been referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union.

Ireland, Spain, France, and Hungary also received reasoned opinions for incomplete transposition of EU rules on renewable energy under Directive 2018/2001. Those cases raised concerns over progress toward the EU’s binding 2030 renewable energy target.

Outside the EU, the EFTA Surveillance Authority also referred Iceland to the EFTA Court last year. The case concerned failures linked to packaging waste prevention, packaging rules, and landfill site management.

These actions show a wider pattern. Brussels and related European authorities are moving from target-setting into enforcement.

What Business Leaders Should Watch

For executives and investors, the message is clear. EU sustainability rules are becoming more operational, more legal, and more enforceable.

Consumer-facing companies will face higher scrutiny over packaging, product labels, repair claims, climate language, and sustainability certifications. Weak claims may create legal, reputational, and market access risks.

The directive also matters for investors tracking transition risk. Companies that rely on vague environmental positioning may need to revise marketing, governance, and disclosure processes before the rules take effect in September.

In its statement announcing the opening of infringement procedures, the Commission said:

“The Directive improves the reliability and transparency of green claims and sustainability labels. It encourages businesses to adopt more sustainable practices and prevents early obsolescence and greenwashing. It also ensures that shoppers have access to better information on a product’s durability and repairability, as well as on their legal guarantee rights.”

The Commission’s action puts national governments on the clock. It also gives companies a clear warning. In the EU market, sustainability claims will need evidence, oversight, and legal durability.