CMS Green Globe

• Austrian Consumer Association conducts “greenwashing check” campaign to clamp down on unsubstantiated and misleading green claims
• Sustainability labels and logos come under the Consumer Association’s spotlight
• Stricter origin labelling rules to be introduced for the Austrian food industry

Read more about news in sustainability claims in Austria

• Regulator issues guidelines on the interpretation of legal criteria relevant to greenwashing, but introduces inconsistency with the current law
• Environmental Advertising Guidelines and decisions by the Jury for Ethical Practices (“JEP”) offer guidance based on ethical principles, but lack clarity and consistency
• Few greenwashing claims reach the Belgian courts, and judicial approaches vary

• A complex legislative and regulatory framework controlling the use of green claims in Brazil
• Legal consequences: From fines to counter advertising
• Decisions on greenwashing issued by Brazilian courts

• National Ethical Standards govern environmental claims in marketing communications
• Increased alignment of directors’ duty of care standards with ESG factors
• Non-financial reporting

• Bill to prevent and punish greenwashing
• Implementation of General Rule No. 461, which incorporates information requirements on sustainability and corporate governance in the Annual Reports of the entities supervised by the Financial Market Commission (CMF)
• Main ESG regulation in Chile: Climate Change Framework Law

• The legal and regulatory systems related to environmental protection are improving, but regulation against greenwashing lags behind
• Public opinion monitoring is improving, as the Chinese media steps into a “public watchdog” role
• Consumer awareness of environmental protection is improving

• Green advertising decree issued by the national government
• Guidelines set forth by the Colombian Code for Advertisement Self Regulation
• Bills submitted to the Congress to regulate and sanction greenwashing

• The status quo
• New developments – Empowerment of consumers
• Sustainability claims beyond consumer law 

• A rise in public awareness and interest in sustainability in the absence of robust regulation
• Possible changes in the regulation of environmental claims
• The adoption of a national program on environmental claims 

• European Commission proposes new consumer rights and a ban on greenwashing
• Screening of websites for “greenwashing” – The European Commission takes action together with the national authorities
• EU Ecolabel and EU certification marks 

• Sustainability claims are regulated by multiple laws and guidelines to support the fight against greenwashing
• Introduction of stricter rules regarding green claims and environmental marking
• Stricter rules emerge regarding advertising and commercial practices which undermine sustainability goals

• A complex legislative and regulatory landscape provides the legal backdrop for the evaluation of sustainability claims in Germany
• Increasing public interest in sustainability prompts consumer protection initiatives and court scrutiny of ‘climate neutrality’ claims
• Increasingly severe legal consequences, heavy fines and a German peculiarity, the “recall risk” – what do advertisers have to fear from greenwashing?

• Regulator issues warning for consumers to treat sustainability claims with caution and provides guidance for businesses
• Specific requirements apply to the most common types of green claims and certification labels, and the regulator signals increased monitoring
• Private sector cooperation bodies launch green initiatives to promote and develop environmentally responsible practices

• The First Decision on Greenwashing Issued by an Italian Court
• The approach taken by the IAP and the Antitrust Authority highlights the importance of substantiation for all green claims
• The “MADE GREEN IN ITALY” certification programme is adopted to promote genuinely ‘green’ products

• A need for stricter guidelines for organic and sustainable products
• Self-regulatory standards
• Increase of local provisions

• Greenwashing in Morocco: a practice studied by associations
• Highlighting the elements that enable the identification of a greenwashing practice
• The necessary legislative framework for the practice of greenwashing

• Consumer and markets authority publishes guidelines for sustainability claims and conducts investigations into misleading sustainability claims
• The Code for Sustainability Advertising regulates the use of green claims in advertising – and is applied strictly
• Consumer studies reveals low levels of consumer understanding and confidence in the use of sustainability labels or claims regarding carbon offset, highlighting the need for reform of the current system

• The Norwegian Consumer Authority guidelines on sustainability claims in consumer marketing, and a new legislative proposal from the European Commission
• Increased focus on green claims in the fashion retail industry
• Increased awareness of greenwashing among industry participants and environmental non-profits

• The use of “green” labels
• Self-regulation in advertising continues to develop – the Advertising Code of Ethics
• Promotional and educational activities aim to tackle low consumer vigilance and encourage reporting of greenwashing

• New guidelines issued by the government regulator
• Stronger public pressure against greenwashing practices
• Growing use of sustainability labels

• Consumer awareness is increasing due to NGO campaigns and media, with improvement of waste management infrastructure and collection scheme efficiency being top priorities
• National authorities have developed a guide to improve public access to environmental information
• Stricter rules for agricultural and food businesses with a view to ensure fair trade practices

• Allegations of greenwashing at a governmental level
• NEOM: Saudi Arabia’s planned eco-city divides opinion
• Sustainable consumption is gaining momentum in Saudi Arabia

• Claims must not be unfair, misleading; consumer protection laws will apply
• Disclosure and reporting guidelines for funds sold to retail investors under the label of ESG
• Mandatory climate disclosures for specified companies

• Consumer Protection Regulations govern misleading green advertising claims
• The prevalence of Ecolabelling is increasing
• Self-regulation of advertising plays a key role in Slovakia

• Greenwashing falls under remit of general consumer protection laws, but case law guidance is currently limited
• Slovenian Advertising Code seeks to tackle greenwashing by promoting lawful, decent, fair and truthful advertising
• Regulation 2020/852 of the European Parliament and Council dated 18 June 2020 concerning ‘greenwashing’ in the financial sector is adopted into Slovenian law

• Focus on promoting environmental education for sustainability to avoid greenwashing
• General advertising and competition laws, self-regulation and codes of conduct govern greenwashing in the absence of specific legislation
• National Security Market Commission (CNMV) promotes the development of a sustainable economy through its Activity Plans

• Green claims and the Swedish Consumer Agency
• Vague green claims and climate labels  
• Substantiating green claims 

• Swiss regulation is currently based on general competition and advertising laws, while legislators monitor legal developments on sustainability claims in Switzerland and the EU
• Caution needed in relation to green claims when importing products from the EU into Switzerland, to reflect local sustainability infrastructure
• “Corporate social responsibility” trends lead to greater focus by regulators on transparency in green claims

• New criteria for the Turkish Ecolabel which is recognised by GEN
• Enhancement of potential consumer claims due to greenwashing
• Turkey publishes draft climate change law

• Organic and ‘eco’ products regulation comes under the enforcing authority’s spotlight
• Avoidance of specific claims, such as “organic” or “biological”, does not release advertisers from the risk of non-compliance
• Sustainability claims in the agricultural sector face reduced scrutiny during martial law

• The rise of “sustainable cities”
• Conscious consumerism is gaining strength
• Claims of Energy Efficiency Progress

• New guidelines and enforcement by the government regulator
• A corresponding increase in scrutiny by the Advertising Standards Authority
• The increasing role of public pressure