{"id":2696,"date":"2026-09-28T16:05:30","date_gmt":"2026-09-28T14:05:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erlburg.law\/?p=2696"},"modified":"2026-10-24T22:04:58","modified_gmt":"2026-10-24T20:04:58","slug":"empco-directive-in-force-via-uwg-amendments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erlburg.law\/en\/empco-directive-in-force-via-uwg-amendments","title":{"rendered":"EmpCo Directive in force via UWG amendments"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The EmpCo Directive aims at prohibiting misleading environmental and sustainability claims. It is also known as the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (Directive (EU) 2024\/825<\/a>).\u00a0The Directive supplements existing European consumer protection rules against greenwashing and expands and specifies the requirements for marketing and product communication when sustainability advertising is used.\u00a0The German legislator has now transposed the requirements into national law. Following this, stricter advertising rules apply in Germany.\u00a0For certain cases, however, a temporary reliance on a de facto sell-off period (Aufbrauchfrist) may be considered.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The EmpCo Directive already entered into force in March 2024, but provides for long transposition periods.\u00a0As of 27 September 2026, the requirements have been transposed into national rules in Germany by the Third Act Amending the Act against Unfair Competition (UWG).\u00a0On the basis of the new requirements, consumers are to be able to make informed purchasing decisions regarding the ecological impact, but also the durability and repairability of products, and thus to contribute to more sustainable consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The EmpCo Directive prohibits certain environmental claims <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The new rules have several thrusts, which result above all from the new \u00a7 2 paras. 2\/3 UWG<\/a>: <\/p>\n\n\n\n