From 27 September 2026 onwards, companies placing products on the European Union (EU) market will face stricter rules for environmental claims under the EU Directive on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (EmpCo).
For the farming sector and associated value chains, this creates a clear communication challenge: Sustainability labels and on-pack claims that are too broad, misleading, or insufficiently substantiated may expose companies to greenwashing allegations, increased regulatory scrutiny, and ultimately, the loss of consumer trust.
Sustainability labels provide guidance for customers
EmpCo requires environmental claims to be accurate, understandable, and transparent, helping to combat misleading messaging and claims and therefore improve the quality of information available to consumers.
For companies, the risk is both operational and reputational, and it may expose the business to legal risks. Across agriculture, aquaculture, and floriculture – where supply chains can be complex and consumer knowledge varies – sustainability labels displayed at the point of sale are particularly relevant because they may influence purchasing decisions and therefore attract increased scrutiny. Without careful wording and clear attribution, even well-intended communication can become vulnerable to misunderstanding.
Expectations for sustainability labels under EmpCo
The EU regulation requires sustainability labels to be based on an independent, transparent, and credible certification scheme.
Only certification schemes which meet specific criteria can provide appropriate assurance for companies communicating sustainability commitments. Under EmpCo, certification schemes are therefore expected to meet a number of requirements relating to accessibility, governance, compliance management, and third-party verification.
In particular, under EmpCo, certification schemes are expected to:
- be openly accessible based on transparent and non-discriminatory criteria,
- be developed with input from relevant experts and stakeholders,
- provide clear procedures for managing non-compliance,
- rely on independent third-party certification bodies.
Certification schemes that meet these criteria can support companies in providing more transparent and substantiated sustainability communication in the EU market.
Stakeholders reassess sustainability claims and labels
As companies assess whether their sustainability communication remains fit for purpose under EmpCo, certification schemes that seek to meet the directive’s requirements are likely to attract increased attention.
Consumer labels such as the GGN label – and the GLOBALG.A.P. certification framework which underpins it – are fully compliant with EmpCo and intend to reduce ambiguity, strengthen transparency, and support credible product communication at the point of sale.
“With a 25-year history, the GLOBALG.A.P. certification scheme has shown that transparency can support the credibility of environmental claims. EmpCo does not change that. On the contrary, the directive helps us bring expectations and reality even closer together,” commented Remko Oosterveld, Business Development Manager Aquaculture for GLOBALG.A.P. and the GGN label at Agraya.
Based on GLOBALG.A.P. certification, the GGN label gives consumers access to additional information about products coming from certified production processes and the standards behind them. Certification is carried out by independent third-party certification bodies operating under ISO/IEC 17065 and supported by defined compliance procedures and sanctions.
Trust through transparency
As businesses revisit their sustainability communication strategies, certification schemes that combine independent verification and consumer transparency can support companies in adapting to evolving regulatory expectations while maintaining consumer trust.
Related links
- Explore the European Commission’s EmpCo FAQs
- Learn more about the requirements behind the GGN label
- Discover how GLOBALG.A.P. standards are developed
