In its ongoing efforts to address global climate change, the European Union has recently implemented a series of significant measures to further advance the green transition and strengthen environmental protection. The latest initiatives include the adoption of the "Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition" directive, which prohibits environmental claims based on greenhouse gas emission offsets—effectively banning the promotion of so-called "carbon-neutral products" or "carbon-neutral activities" that rely on carbon offsetting. Additionally, the EU has passed legislation to partially ban plastic packaging starting from 2030. These measures mark substantial steps forward in the EU's commitment to environmental protection and sustainable development.

Ban on Carbon-neutral Publicity

The Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition directive will come into force on September 27, 2026. This directive clearly prohibits any environmental impact promotion based on carbon offset claims, and its main purpose is to prevent consumers from being misled by misleading environmental publicity. According to this directive, only sustainability labels that use approved certification schemes are allowed, which will ensure the authenticity and reliability of all promotional materials and thus help consumers make more environmentally friendly choices.

Plastic Packaging Ban Policy

On the other hand, in order to reduce the environmental impact of plastic waste, the EU has also taken further measures. Starting from 2030, the EU will ban the use of plastic packaging for a small portion of salt, sugar, fruits, and vegetables. In addition, the use of plastic films for luggage at airports will be prohibited, and lightweight plastic bags will be banned in supermarkets. All of these will only allow the use of packaging made of paper and other materials. By 2040, the packaging finally thrown into the trash should be reduced by at least 15%.

Impact on Enterprises and Consumers

These new laws and policies will have a significant impact on both enterprises and consumers. For enterprises, this means that they need to adjust their production and marketing strategies to meet the new environmental protection standards. This may require enterprises to invest additional costs in developing and using sustainable labels and other environmentally friendly materials. However, this also provides new opportunities for enterprises, encouraging innovation and the development of new environmentally friendly products and services.

For consumers, these policies will provide more environmentally friendly options, helping them make decisions that are beneficial to the environment. By reducing their reliance on plastic packaging, consumers can contribute to reducing the environmental burden.