MEPs debate on a directive which improves product labelling and ban the use of misleading environmental claims. The new rules make product labelling clearer and more trustworthy by banning the use of general environmental claims like “environmentally friendly”, “natural”, “biodegradable”, “climate neutral” or “eco” without proof. The directive allows the use of sustainability labels that are based on official certification schemes or established by public authorities. Opening statements by Biljana BORZAN (S&D, HR), Rapporteur, Edina TÓTH (NI, HU), ENVI Committee and Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice. The transcription is the result of an automatic process. Please, check against delivery.

statement

Strasbourg

Environment (T2)

debate

plenary session

environmental protection (T)

BORZAN, Biljana (S&D, HR)

consumer product safety (T)

REYNDERS, Didier (BE, EC)

TÓTH, Edina (NI, HU)

European Green Deal (T)

Empowering consumers for the green transition: opening statements by Biljana BORZAN (S&D, HR), Rapporteur, Edina TÓTH (NI, HU), ENVI Committee and Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/74187787/1705405218162_I251360Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

SOUNDBITE (Croatian), Biljana BORZAN (S&amp;D, HR), Dear colleagues, dear citizens, we have excellent news from the European Parliament for you. We have a new law which will bring positive changes to our daily lives. We will no longer be creating heaps of waste. We will bring order into the way the industries do their business, and we protect our citizens against unfair practices on the Common Market.

SOUNDBITE (Croatian), Biljana BORZAN (S&D, HR), I'm always proud when we stand to defend those who are weaker on the market. And these are our citizens. We put people ahead of profits. We say to the industries, if that is enough, this is what we see with this law. We want to reject the model "buy, use, discard". We want products that last longer. Most citizens say that the devices that they buy break between the second and the third year of use, just as the statutory guarantee runs out. This is no coincidence.

SOUNDBITE (Croatian), Biljana BORZAN (S&D, HR), We also banned the commercial communication about products that have built in obsolescence or defects. We also ban related practices, such as forcing the consumers to replace those parts before it is really necessary or the updating of software. Do you want to know how long your product will last? More than 85% of Croatian citizens want that. This is why we have created this new label of the commercial warranty length. This label will force the producers to offer better products. When a consumer comes into a store, they will be able to select the product, which lasts longer. And this means that the sustainable choice will be available to everybody, not only those who have more money.

SOUNDBITE (Croatian), Biljana BORZAN (S&D, HR), Over 60% of the EU citizens don't know that they do have the statutory warranty for all the products on the market. This label will also remind them of that. Also, in all the stores there will be poster, which will state that there is this a minimum statutory two year warranty.

SOUNDBITE (Croatian), Biljana BORZAN (S&D, HR), Most citizens in the EU are thinking about the environment when they make their purchasing choices. The traders and producers have realised that. And this is why we have this jungle of unverified green claims and labels. In most cases, those that put the labels, they do the checking. We have sustainable, biodegradable, conscientious green, natural labels, over 1200 such labels, and only one third of those have been verified in one way or another.

SOUNDBITE (Croatian), Biljana BORZAN (S&D, HR), We will ban all such claims that cannot be verified as being environmental. We want to bring order into this jungle of green claims that are related to the future, such as 30% less emissions by 2025, will have to be based on a detailed implementation plans. In order for this law to be implemented properly, we have to have budgets and implementation of such plans have to be controlled by independent experts. We want to bring ordered into this jungle. The sustainability labels will have to go through certification procedures or be approved by national bodies.

SOUNDBITE (Croatian), Biljana BORZAN (S&D, HR), We want to bring order into this jungle. When you see that the product is climate neutral, what do you think that Mother Nature has made it or that that is really very sustainable in terms of its contents or the way and it was packed or transported. In most cases, it doesn't mean any of that. This is why we want to ban the claims that are based on being carbon neutral because being climate neutral is impossible. All such claims are fake.

SOUNDBITE (Croatian), Biljana BORZAN (S&D, HR), Dear colleagues, we're at the end of a really long process, and I feel happy and proud. And I can't wait to see the changes implemented in practice. This will be a small scale, sustainable revolution. I want to thank all of you who have worked on this document, the Commissioner Didier REYNDERS and his team and the Spanish presidency and the really constructive team that got together to do this. And I would like to end this speech on a personal note, I would like to thank the Croatian citizens. You have given me ideas, and you have motivated me to fight. It has been a privilege to work on this law with you and in your interest. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (Hungarian), Edina TÓTH (NI, HU), President, Commissioner. More and more consumers try to choose products on a sustainable basis, but it's very difficult to do. Businesses really don't fulfil their promises, they are just marketing tricks. And unfortunately, the greenwashing phenomenon is spreading. So I think it's time for us to fight this damaging practice.

SOUNDBITE (Hungarian), Edina TÓTH (NI, HU), Now I was rapporteur on the Environment Committee, and as such, I'm pleased that many proposals were taken up in the text that we have in front of us. And I think the proposal will be very effective to ban greenwashing. Producers will in the future have to prove that products are actually environmentally friendly. It's also very important to prevent practices, such as different levels of quality for the same products, and also eco, bio, environmentally friendly, or climate friendly as descriptions should be banned.

SOUNDBITE (Hungarian), Edina TÓTH (NI, HU), I think we've seen a lot of double standards in all of this. So, it's good that the ban on dual quality for the same good has been taken up. I think that overall, it's clear that more and more businesses and brands are trying to become more sustainable, and environmental issues are becoming more and more important, but we need to ensure that these claims are credible, vis-a-vis consumers. And so we need to ensure that everything is authentic to green products actually have to be green. We want to do away with greenwashing. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (French), Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice, Thank you. President. Dear colleagues, I'm delighted to join you today for this discussion. On the new directive we're putting forward to give consumers more scope for action when it comes to the green transition. There are many misleading commercial claims, early obsolescence, greenwashing, unreliable sustainable development labels and others. They have been identified, these misleading commercial practices, across the EU in recent years. And these are not in line with the principles set out in the Green Deal.

SOUNDBITE (French), Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice, So the Commission is delighted that the co-legislators agreed on the new directive last September. And I really wish to congratulate these co-legislators, because the text is now ready for final adoption by Parliament. The Commission is firmly persuaded that these new rules will make for an improvement in consumer protection, and also make it possible for consumers to make more well informed decisions, thus contributing to our green transition. And there are also guarantees here for companies. And this will improve the operation of the internal market.

SOUNDBITE (English), Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice, I particularly welcome that the college's letters found an ambitious but balanced agreement to ensure that consumers can more easily contribute to the green transition. Let me highlight a few elements. For example, the new directive will strengthen the credibility and transparency of voluntary sustainability labels by ensuring that they are based on certification schemes or established by public authorities.

SOUNDBITE (English), Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice, Furthermore, an important novelty is also that companies will no longer be able to claim that their products are climate neutral, positive for the climate, or have a reduced impact on climate based on carbon offsetting projects outside the product's value chain. Today, we see too often that such claims give the misleading impression to consumers that the consumption of such products have no impact on the environment.

SOUNDBITE (English), Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice, I am also pleased that consumers will be better protected against several harmful practices associated to the early obsolescence of goods. For instance, any commercial communication on goods with features introduced to limit their ability will be banned. Lastly, the Commissioner so welcomes the general rules that will provide better information to consumers at the point of sale via a new harmonised label on the durability of goods and a nominee's notice reminding consumers of their legal guarantee rights. Thanks to the Parliament's efforts, this will ensure that consumers will more easily identify which goods are truly durable and for how long, and will make them more aware of their rights.

SOUNDBITE (English), Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice, In conclusion, the Commission strongly believes that the new directive is a major step forward to empower consumers to buy more sustainably. To facilitate enforcement by public authorities and to create a level playing field for businesses. We believe that together with other related legislative initiatives, such as the Green Claims proposal, the Eco Design regulation, and the proposed directive on the Right to Repair, that's again, discussed in the trialogue at the beginning of February. It will support the necessary changes to implement the EU Green Deal. So I thank you for your attention. But I thank you, first of all, for your support. Thanks.