The Council of Ministers has given preliminary approval to the Legislative Decree implementing Directive (EU) 2024/825, known as Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition.
This is a highly anticipated piece of legislation, which marks a crucial step in the fight against greenwashing and in strengthening consumer protection within the European ecological transition process.
With this regulatory intervention, the European Union and its Member States aim to make environmental communication more transparent, verifiable, and comparable, promoting a fairer market geared towards real sustainability.
The European regulatory context
Directive (EU) 2024/825 was adopted by the Council and the European Parliament on February 28, 2024, published in the Official Journal of the European Union on March 6 of the same year, and entered into force twenty days after publication. Member States must transpose it into their national laws by March 27, 2026.
The directive amends two pillars of European consumer legislation: the Directive 2005/29/EC on unfair commercial practices and Directive 2011/83/EU on consumer rights. The objective is clear: to strengthen the protection of citizens against misleading environmental information and to align corporate communication with the objectives of the European Green Deal.
The Italian decree and new responsibilities for businesses
The Italian transposition decree, approved on October 30, 2025, introduces stricter rules to combat the misuse of environmental claims and increase consumer confidence. Companies will have until March 27, 2026, to comply by implementing internal procedures for verifying, validating, and tracing environmental information communicated to the market.
It will no longer be sufficient to use generic terms such as “eco-friendly,” “green,” or “sustainable” without solid documentary support. Each claim must be supported by measurable data, recognized methodologies, and, in many cases, independent third-party verification.
Stop greenwashing and increase transparency
One of the cornerstones of the ECGT directive is the direct fight against greenwashing. Environmental claims must be based on scientific evidence, using criteria that are clear and understandable to the end consumer. Furthermore, environmental labels may only be used if they are part of open, transparent, and non-discriminatory certification systems.
An important new feature is the introduction of a harmonized durability label, which will allow consumers to immediately assess the durability and reparability of products. This tool aims to encourage more informed purchasing choices and discourage planned obsolescence practices.
Controls, sanctions, and the role of the AGCM
Compliance with the new provisions will be monitored by the Italian Competition and Market Authority (AGCM), which will be able to intervene in the event of violations and apply significant sanctions to non-compliant companies. This further reinforces the message of the directive: sustainability cannot just be communicated, it must be demonstrated.
A fairer and more competitive market
The Environmental Claims and Green Transition Directive represents a step towards a market in which sustainability becomes a real competitive factor. Companies that invest in truly sustainable processes, products, and business models will finally have regulatory tools to protect them from competition based on vague or misleading claims.
For consumers, this means being able to rely on more reliable, comparable, and useful information to make informed purchasing decisions.
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