Negotiators from the European Parliament and the Council of Europe have agreed on a renewal of EU consumer rules. The focus is on sustainability and greenwashing in electronics.

There is a preliminary agreement within the EU on new consumer rules regarding sustainability and greenwashing in electronics. Negotiators from the European Parliament and the Council of Europe have agreed on this. EU Commissioner for Justice (and also Consumer Rights) Didier Reynders confirmed this at his meeting X account.

General content

It agree contains some important ecologically responsible key points. In addition to the fight against greenwashing, the EU also wants significantly more clarity for its citizens when purchasing electronic devices.

Europe also wants to limit certain practices by manufacturers that harm European consumers. The new proposals build on the original package proposed in March.

The new proposals

First, the EU wants consumers to be better informed about the lifespan of electronic products. In this context, Europe also wants companies to communicate honestly about technologies that have been deliberately installed to shorten the life of a product or make it less practical. An example of this is software that slows down or blocks certain functions.

Companies should also stop trying to convince consumers to replace certain items, such as ink cartridges, sooner than necessary. Falsely advertising a device as repairable is now also out of the question. The Nokia G42 probably doesn’t have to worry about that.

The EU also wants clearer communication about guarantees. Too many people are still unaware that the norm in the Union is two years. It is also planned to provide manufacturers who voluntarily extend the guarantee with a label that indicates that the product is a sustainable product.

In the fight against greenwashing, generic ecological statements are banned. This also applies to misleading marketing regarding the environment and ecology. If a company wants to attach a green label, this is only permitted if it is based on certificates recognized by official bodies.

According to Reynders, with these rules the EU is giving its citizens the tools they need to make more sustainable decisions. In this way, he believes, the Union involves its citizens in Europe’s green development. The consumer committee is already there pleased along.