Greenpeace files EU complaint against Austria over anti-greenwashing rules

Greenpeace filed a complaint with the European Commission against Austria on Friday, alleging that the country's implementation of new EU rules against misleading environmental claims violates European law.

The environmental group said products already manufactured in Austria could continue to be marketed with environmental claims for another three years even if those claims do not meet the new EU requirements.

The EU's Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (EmpCo) directive, aimed at combating "greenwashing" -- the practice of making misleading or unsubstantiated environmental claims -- takes effect Sunday.

Under the rules, environmental claims must be verifiable, while sustainability labels will be permitted only if they meet certification requirements. The rules also tighten requirements surrounding claims of climate neutrality.

Advertising environmental benefits based merely on minimum legal standards will also be prohibited, along with misleading claims about products' durability and repairability.

"The EmpCo guideline is a milestone in the fight against greenwashing," Greenpeace Austria economic expert Ursula Bittner said in a statement.

However, she accused Austria's federal government of "undermining the EU's efforts."

Greenpeace also cited a legal opinion it commissioned that concluded Austria's implementation of the rules violated EU law.

According to the group, the EU directive does not provide for the three-year transition period that Austria plans to apply to goods already on the market.

Greenpeace called on Austrian Economy Minister Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer of the Austrian People's Party (OVP) to amend the legislation to comply with EU law and eliminate the three-year transition period.