Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (ECGT): What It Means for Product Claims

One of the most significant developments is the EU Directive on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (ECGT). From September 2026, the directive will apply to all products sold to consumers in the EU, including products from companies based outside the EU. For brands, manufacturers, and suppliers, this marks a clear shift toward higher expectations for accuracy, transparency, and credibility in product claims. 

This update outlines how bluesign is aligning with ECGT and what this means for the use of bluesign labels and claims. 

What is the ECGT and why it matters 

The ECGT Directive is designed to prevent misleading environmental and social claims, often referred to as greenwashing. Its objective is to ensure that claims made to consumers are clear, verifiable, and supported by credible evidence. 

The directive applies broadly across products and services sold in the EU. It will become applicable on 27 September 2026, following transposition into national law by EU Member States earlier that year. Companies do not need to be headquartered in the EU to fall within scope. Any organization placing products on the EU market will be affected. 

At its core, ECGT reflects a broader regulatory and market shift, moving away from broad sustainability promises toward substantiated, transparent communication. 

Why labeling schemes are affected 

Under ECGT, labels, symbols, certification marks, and similar representations used on products are considered environmental claims. Sustainability labels therefore become subject to strengthened requirements regarding: 

• How the criteria are defined 

• How compliance is monitored 

• How claims are communicated to consumers 

The directive also reinforces expectations around the credibility, independence, and transparency of certification schemes. This includes ensuring that claims reflect the actual certified scope (e.g.: full product vs. specific components) and do not imply broader benefits than the certification covers.  

What this means for bluesign labels 

bluesign labels fall within the scope of the ECGT Directive, as they represent environmental claims communicated to the market. This includes bluesign® PRODUCT labels and approved articles that may reach consumers. 

Trust and transparency have always been central to the bluesign System. As regulatory expectations evolve, it is important that labeling and claim usage remain precise, clearly defined, and aligned with the requirements of the directive, including; 

• Transparent and publicly accessible criteria 

• Established and objective verification procedures 

• Clarity about the certified scope of a claim 

• Avoidance of any implication of broader or undefined environmental performance 

How bluesign is responding 

bluesign is proactively aligning its labeling and system framework with the ECGT Directive. 

This includes: 

• Reviewing and refining certification marks and claim wording to ensure clarity and accurate consumer interpretation 

• Preparing updated guidance to support brands in meeting the directive’s expectations around substantiation, transparency, and scope 

• Strengthening internal governance and verification mechanisms to reflect the directive’s requirements for objective monitoring and organizational independence  

About independence requirements 

The ECGT Directive requires that compliance monitoring be performed by a competent and independent third party. bluesign is currently enhancing its governance structure to meet this requirement, including steps toward ISO 17065 accreditation. 

While ISO 17065 accreditation is expected in 2026, bluesign is, in the interim, strengthening procedural safeguards to ensure impartiality and robust verification. These efforts form part of a broader transition pathway to align with the independence expectations established under the directive. 

Supporting clear and credible communication 

As regulatory expectations increase, clarity becomes more important than ever. bluesign’s approach focuses on helping the industry communicate environmental information in a way that is accurate, consistent, and trustworthy. 

Updated guidance will support brands in referencing bluesign appropriately within broader product and corporate communications. This will include: 

• Instructions on scope specific claims (e.g., component vs. full product) 

• Requirements for consumer-accessible explanations (e.g., QR codes linked to accessible criteria and scope descriptions) 

• Disclaimers to ensure claims are interpreted correctly and do not overstate product performance 

A proactive approach to evolving EU requirements 

The ECGT Directive reinforces a clear direction for sustainability communication in the EU. Environmental claims must be substantiated, systems must be credible, and trust must be earned through transparency and verification. 

bluesign remains committed to supporting the industry through this transition by maintaining a robust System, continuously improving its framework, and helping ensure that sustainability communication remains credible as regulatory requirements evolve. 

Further reading 

For additional detail, the full text of Directive (EU) 2024/825 on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition is available via EUR-Lex:
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/825/oj/eng