Advertisers face tighter rules for promoting products as 'eco-friendly' under Hubig's new policies. - Stricter policies for advertising that involves the term 'eco-friendly' to be imposed by Hubig.
In a bid to combat greenwashing and promote informed consumer decisions, Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig, based in Berlin, has proposed new regulations for advertising "environmentally friendly" products. The draft bill, published on Monday afternoon, aims to make general environmental claims about a product, such as "sustainable" or "environmentally friendly," only permissible if they can be substantiated.
The EU directive, known as the Foundation, is intended to promote a consumer-driven ecological transition and sustainable consumption habits while providing better protection against unfair practices. If environmental claims refer to only one aspect of the product, this must be clearly stated. For instance, if a product is advertised as "recyclable," it must actually be recyclable, and if a product is advertised as "repairable," it must actually be repairable.
Advertising with the label "climate neutral" will only be permitted if it applies to the product or its production, not through the purchase of CO2 certificates. Furthermore, sustainability labels that highlight ecological or social features of a product must be set by the state or based on an externally verified certification system. Self-certifications are to be banned.
The new bill also addresses online design patterns in financial service contracts, prohibiting designs that influence or hinder consumers in concluding financial service contracts. Enlarging a "consent button" as a way to highlight one option among several will be prohibited. Consumers should not be repeatedly asked to make a selection they have already made, such as with reappearing "accept all" buttons after cookies have been deselected.
The procedure for registering and terminating a service must now be designed similarly, with canceling a service not being more difficult than signing up for it. After gathering opinions, the cabinet, Bundestag, and Bundesrat must decide on the draft. If approved, member states must transpose the EU directive into national law by the end of March 2026.
The search results do not provide specific information about the "Hubig proposal" or its relation to stricter advertising regulations regarding 'environmentally friendly' claims under the EU Foundation Directive. However, the results do mention the EU's Omnibus initiative, which involves simplifying EU sustainability rules, including those related to corporate sustainability reporting and due diligence.
For a better understanding, it is recommended to consult official EU legislative updates or environmental policy documents for the latest on advertising regulations and sustainability initiatives. The EU often updates its policies to ensure compliance with environmental standards and to combat greenwashing. Specific details about a "Hubig proposal" are not available in the provided results.
Stefanie Hubig, the Justice Minister from Berlin and a member of the SPD party, has proposed a plan for stricter requirements in advertising products labeled as "environmentally friendly" as part of the EU's Foundation Directive, aiming to combat greenwashing and encourage informed consumer decisions. This proposal includes scientifically substantiating general environmental claims like "sustainable" or "environmentally friendly."
The new regulations will address climate-change concerns by promoting environmental-science-based policies and legislation, thus playing a significant role in politics and general news. The regulations will ensure that products can only be labeled "climate neutral" if it applies to the product or its production, not through the purchase of CO2 certificates.
Under the new advertising regulations, science-backed sustainability labels that highlight ecological or social features of a product must be set by the state or based on an externally verified certification system. This initiative aims to combat greenwashing and promote a consumer-driven ecological transition towards sustainable consumption habits.
