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The Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (ECGT) 2026

New rules for green and social claims

From 27 September 2026, the rules for sustainability communication in the EU will be tightened. The Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (ECGT) requires companies to fully substantiate all environmental claims they communicate to consumers. Generic claims such as “eco”, “environmentally friendly”, “green” or “climate neutral” will soon be prohibited.

With ECGT, greenwashing will not only become risky but also costly: misleading claims may lead to fines, product recalls, and reputational damage. Companies that can substantiate their claims will gain a significant advantage in a market that is becoming more transparent and reliable.

Note: in 2026, two important ECGT obligations will come into effect. These are the key dates:

Important deadlines

Contact our experts to ensure your products and claims are 
ECGT-ready. Don’t wait until September 2026, prepare now!

The EU will ban all claims that are not substantiated in a very concrete way. Examples:

Prohibited generic environmental claims

Ban on climate‑neutral claims based on offsetting

Prohibited sustainability labels without independent verification

What the directive requires

- “Environmentally friendly”, “green”, “eco”, “natural”
- “Energy‑efficient”
- “Biodegradable” (without proof)

You may no longer describe a product as ‘climate neutral’ when this is based solely on CO₂ offsetting.

Only labels that:
- Are recognized by a government, or
- Are based on an independent certification system are permitted.

No claims about the entire product when they only apply to a single component.

For example: a product of which only one component is 20% biobased may not be presented as fully biobased.

Protect your brand and ensure compliance with SGS

• Communicate environmental performance with confidence while fully complying with regulatory requirements.
  
• Strengthen and protect your brand credibility by ensuring all sustainability claims are transparent and substantiated.
  
• Reduce legal and financial risks by avoiding penalties linked to misleading environmental claims.
  
• Gain a competitive advantage by aligning early with the new EU sustainability communication standards.
  
• Build stronger consumer trust through clear, credible, and verifiable environmental messaging.
  
• Demonstrate leadership in sustainability and differentiate your products in an increasingly regulated market.

New explicit requirement: Verification must be carried out by an independent third party. SGS plays a key role in this: as a global, recognised independent organisation that meets ECGT requirements.

Understand the impact of the new EU directive and verify your claims with SGS to strengthen consumer trust. 

The Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (ECGT) 2026.

Understand the impact of the new EU directive and verify your claims with SGS to strengthen consumer trust.

Understand the impact of the new EU directive and verify your claims with SGS to strengthen consumer trust. As an independent third party, SGS helps you make your environmental claims ECGT‑compliant through objective verification and clear, evidence‑based assessments.

About SGS

SGS is the world’s leading Testing, Inspection and Certification company. We operate a network of over 2,500 laboratories and business facilities across 115 countries, supported by a team of over 100,000 dedicated professionals. With more than 145 years of service excellence, we combine the precision and accuracy that define Swiss companies to help organizations achieve the highest standards of quality, compliance and sustainability. 

Verification of product claims such as:

• Recycled content
• Biobased content
• LCA verification & EPD’s (Environmental Product Declaration)

Climate claims

Verification against the leading 
international Carbon standards including:

• ISO 14064-1 GHG Emissions Reporting
• The Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol)
• ISO 14068 : Carbon neutrality assessment

Social claims

Assessment of whether your sustainability labels comply with ECGT requirements:

• Independent certification systems
• Transparent criteria
• Correct application to products

Future Performance Verification

Verification of forward‑looking sustainability targets.

• CO2 reduction claims
• Verification of SBTi targets

Reparability & Durability Support

Assessment of circularity-related information

What SGS can do for you?

For more than 30 years, SGS has supported organizations worldwide with sustainability expertise. We help businesses validate environmental claims, reduce risk, and protect their reputation.

Product claims