NATRUE calls for legal certainty and practical transition under the ECGT

NATRUE, together with other 17 associations, has co-signed a joint statement expressing its strong support for the objectives of the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (ECGT), particularly its role in ensuring transparency and addressing misleading environmental claims.

However, NATRUE is increasingly concerned about the absence of transitional provisions for products already lawfully placed on the market, a safeguard routinely included in EU legislation. According to the European Commission’s recent guidance, the Directive’s new rules would apply to all claims and sustainability labels regardless of when a product was manufactured, packaged or made available on the market.

This interpretation creates significant uncertainty for businesses and contradicts established EU principles of legal certainty and non-retroactivity. More importantly, it risks causing substantial and unnecessary waste.

In the joint document, NATRUE and the signatory associations call on the European Commission to:

1. Introduce a “grandfathering” clause allowing products lawfully placed on the market before the Directive’s application date to continue being marketed.
2. Develop a coordinated action plan, in collaboration with businesses, consumer groups, and other stakeholders, to manage legacy stock effectively and sustainably.

NATRUE remains committed to supporting a regulatory framework that strengthens consumer trust while ensuring an implementation pathway that is realistic, legally secure and environmentally coherent.

Read the full statement here.
All NATRUE contributions are available here.