G/TBT/N/EU/984  
31 May 2023  
(23-3687) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  EUROPEAN UNION  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:   
European Commission  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
European Comm ission,  
EU-TBT Enquiry Point,  
Fax: +(32) 2 299 80 43,  
E-mail: grow-eu-tbt@ec.europa.eu  
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools -databases/tbt/en/  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [X], 5.7.1 [  ], 3.2 [  ], 7.2 [  ], 
other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  All 
products  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Proposal for a 
Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on substantiation and 
communication of explicit environmental claims (Green Claims Directive) (COM(2023) 
166 final); (80 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  This proposal for a directive concerns voluntary environmental 
claims i n business -to-consumer commercial communications.  
It sets out requirements for the substantiation and communication of voluntary 
environmental claims and labels on goods, services and organisations. It also sets out 
requirements for environmental labelling schemes. As such, the notified draft sets down 
technical regulations covering: terminology, symbols, packaging, marking and labelling 
requirements as they apply to a product, process or production method.  
The notified draft also int roduces a procedure of ex -ante verification of the claim's 
fulfilment of the technical requirements, i.e. a conformity assessment.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:   
The notified draft aims at protecting  consumers and companies from the misleading 
practice of unclear or poorly -substantiated environmental claims ('greenwashing').  G/TBT/N/EU/984  
 
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  Environmental Protection: The proposal on environmental claims also supports the 
objectives of the European Green Deal and contr ibutes to resolving the triple crises of 
climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss.  
Consumer information, labelling; Prevention of deceptive practices and consumer 
protection  
8. Relevant documents:   
Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending 
Directives 2005/29/EC and 2011/83/EU as regards empowering consumers for the green 
transition through better protection against unfair practices and better information 
(COM(2022) 143 final).  
https://eur -lex.europa.eu/legal -
content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52022PC0143&qid=1683896153624  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  Second quarter 2024  
Proposed date of entry into force:  20 days from publication in the Official Journal of 
the EU (The provisions shall apply from 24 months after the date of entry into force)  
10. Final date for comments:  90 days from notification  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
European Commission,  
EU-TBT Enquiry Point,  
Fax: + (32) 2 299 80 43,  
E-mail: grow-eu-tbt@ec.europa.eu  
The text is available on the EU -TBT Website : http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools -
databases/tbt/en/  
https://eur -lex.europa.eu/legal -
content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52023PC0166&qid=1682523298514  
https://members.wto.org/crnatt achments/2023/TBT/EEC/23_09917_00_e.pdf