Commission moves to withdraw greenwashing proposal in another blow to Green Deal

Published on 20/06/2025 - 15:53 GMT+2

The European Commission intends to retreat a connection aimed astatine combating alleged "greenwashing" by ensuring companies' biology claims are accurate, substantiated and independently verified, an EU executive spokesperson told reporters today.

The connection connected Green Claims was initially presented successful March 2023 arsenic portion of nan broader European Green Deal legislative framework. 

This move marks nan latest successful a bid of rollbacks of awesome Green Deal initiatives, aft alleged "Omnibus" papers intended to simplify EU authorities efficaciously narrowed nan scope of measures specified arsenic nan Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.

The announcement connected nan Green Claims Directive came up of a last gathering betwixt nan Polish EU Council presidency and MEPs scheduled adjacent Monday, which was expected to springiness nan connection nan greenish ray up of general adoption.

Its withdrawal astatine this precocious shape has taken galore by surprise, including nan negotiators. When questioned by reporters, Commission officials declined to supply elaborate reasons for nan decision, saying only that much accusation would follow.

According to parliamentary sources adjacent to nan file, main negotiators socialist MEP Delara Burkhardt and wide MEP Sandro Gozi still intended to proceed pinch nan trilogue negotiations connected Monday, noting that nan talks were nearing a successful conclusion.

“It is unacceptable that nan Commission blatantly interferes pinch nan advancement made by co-legislators connected this file,” a personnel of nan Parliament’s negotiating squad told Euronews, expressing vexation astatine what they spot arsenic a unilateral and premature move.

Likewise, Poland's presidency of nan EU Council “is fresh to participate constructively into nan trilogue and spell up arsenic planned until location is simply a clear determination from nan Commission [on nan withdrawal],” a Polish spokesperson tol Euronews.

It remains unclear whether nan determination to retreat nan connection has been formally adopted by nan Commission’s College, nan play gathering of nan 26 Commissioners and EU President Ursula von der Leyen.

Beyond nan contiguous legislative impact, nan move raises broader questions astir nan Commission's authority to retract its ain proposals.

While EU treaties do not explicitly assistance this power, a 2015 ruling by nan Court of Justice of nan European Union affirmed that nan Commission whitethorn retreat proposals arsenic portion of its correct of initiative.

However, nan Court besides made clear that this powerfulness is constricted and taxable to some substantive and procedural constraints.

The ruling emphasised that withdrawal should only hap successful justified cases, specified arsenic organization deadlock aliases nan connection becoming obsolete.

Neither information appears to use successful nan lawsuit of nan Green Claims Directive, prompting concerns that nan Commission could beryllium overstepping its domiciled and upsetting nan organization equilibrium by exercising a de facto veto complete nan legislative process.