Commission Confirms Green Claims Directive Has Not Been Withdrawn
At Wednesday’s launch of the EU PEFCR for Apparel and Footwear, Emmanuelle Maire, Head of the Commission’s DG ENVI Unit on Circular Economy, Sustainable Production & Consumption, clarified that the Green Claims Directive has not been withdrawn, despite what was communicated by an official spokesperson last Friday. The Commission confirmed that the final trilogue initially scheduled for Monday was postponed following Italy’s last-minute opposition to the Council’s negotiating mandate.
It is now up to the Council to find an agreement to resume negotiations with the Parliament. Alongside many other business associations, we continue to advocate for a balanced and considered negotiation process that avoids rushed decisions and results in a practical, effective framework.
Meanwhile, the miscommunication caused significant chaos within the Council. Italy used the momentum to oppose the Council’s negotiating mandate, effectively blocking Monday’s trilogue, as their opposition removed the qualified majority required to proceed. As a result, the Polish Presidency cancelled the trilogue at the last minute. The main issue cited as the reason for this political blockage appears to be a disagreement over the inclusion of SMEs in the scope of the Directive, a point supported by Council but opposed by the Parliament, and which was due to be negotiated.
Prior to this weeks activities, there had been little movement since the April trilogue. Progress remains slow. There has been some tension among institutional actors: some are pushing against wrapping up negotiations swiftly, others are calling for a full stop. FESI has been supporting a cautious and constructive approach, advocating against a rushed agreement in support of a more robust and workable framework (as detailed in the joint statement from May below).
The main contentious point remains the simplified procedure for certain types of claims. In particular, co-legislators have yet to find common ground on whether traders should be exempt from Article 10 (third-party verification of substantiation) and allowed instead to provide a self-declaration of conformity.
Below is a link to FESI’s most recent joint statement, along with a recap of the key positions FESI has developed and supported since September 2023:
- PH recommendations for trilogues (03/2025)
- Joint industry letter (02/2025)
- FESI’s press release after the EP vote (03/2024)
- Joint industry statement on Substances of Concern (SoC) for the MEPs (01/2024) and for Permanent Representation to the EU(04/2024)
