The so-called greenwashing issue has been under negotiation for more than a year between EU countries and the European Parliament. Last week, the largest group in the European Parliament, the Christian Democratic EPP, voiced concerns about imposing pro-environment measures. When this stance was supported by the conservatives, Brussels announced it will retract its own proposal.
For over a year, EU countries and the European Parliament have been discussing measures against greenwashing. This Green Claims Directive was intended to require companies to make their environmental claims verifiable and reliable.
The Commission now cites that the directive could impose an “unnecessary administrative burden” on small businesses as its reason. The Christian Democratic EPP had already expressed concerns about the binding environmental measure last week. Together with the European Conservatives and Reformists, the group supported the request to withdraw the directive.
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Politico reports that the liberals (Renew) and social democrats (S&D) threaten to withdraw their support for Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. They view the withdrawal as a break with centrist cooperation.
A spokesperson denied that the Commission is definitively withdrawing the law—it would remain a subject of debate. However, Politico and other Brussels media stand by their reports about the withdrawal.
If the directive is withdrawn, an important instrument of the Green Deal will be halted. Without a uniform European framework, enforcement of honest environmental claims will be left to individual member states.