The European Commission has emphasised the need for accurate consumer information, not ‘vague or false claims’. The EU has also emphasised the need for airlines to transparently communicate the extent to which claims of offsetting CO2 emissions from flights through climate projects are valid.
EU authorities have initiated action against 20 airlines for engaging in misleading “greenwashing” practices. Collaborating with national consumer protection authorities from Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, and Spain, the European Commission identified airlines making false or deceptive claims about their environmental impact.
Greenwashing involves deceptive statements that mislead the public about the environmental friendliness of a product, policy, or organization. While the authorities haven’t disclosed the names of the airlines under investigation, they emphasized the importance of substantiating claims about CO2 emissions offsetting and the use of sustainable fuels with sound scientific evidence.
The EC has given the airlines 30 days to align their practices with EU consumer law and provide accurate information to consumers. EU Commissioner for Values and Transparency Vera Jourova emphasized the need for truthful and scientifically supported information, stating that consumers deserve transparency, not vague or misleading claims.
