Based on the interpretive guidance provided by the European Commission, the rules regarding carbon emissions claims can be summarized in these three points:
- General claims such as “carbon-neutral,” “climate-neutral,” “carbon-compensated,” or “carbon-positive” are prohibited unless supported by evidence of recognized environmental excellence in the relevant field.
- Climate-neutrality claims based on CO₂ offsetting are prohibited . Such claims are permitted only if they are based on the actual impact of the specific product throughout its life cycle (value chain). For example, it is permitted to claim that a product has a ‘reduced CO₂ impact’ if this is clearly and prominently stated on the media itself and if it is based on actual improvements in production processes.
- Future targets (net-zero, neutrality): These are eligible only if accompanied by clear, objective, publicly available, and verifiable commitments, set out in a detailed and realistic implementation plan that includes measurable, time-bound objectives, as well as other relevant elements necessary to support their implementation, such asthe allocation of resources, and which is regularly verified by an independent third-party expert, whose conclusions are made available to consumers.
Last modified on 02/10/2026