Following Commissioner Roswall’s announcement last Friday that the Commission President intends to withdraw the Green Claims Directive, the EU Council has just decided to cancel the final trilogue scheduled for today. This comes despite the fact that it had no technical or legal grounds for doing so, and with both co-legislators – Parliament and Council – willing and close to finding a final agreement.
The Socialists and Democrats fiercely condemn the European Commission’s last-minute move, followed today by the EU Council, to kill the Green Claims Directive – in alliance with the European People’s Party (EPP) and the far right.
This is not policymaking. This is political sabotage. The Commission, instead of honouring its institutional role as an honest broker, is now openly running partisan errands for the EPP, in breach of the powers conferred to it under the Treaty and to the detriment of EU citizens, consumers, and climate action.
Tiemo Wölken, S&D spokesperson for the European Parliament’s committee for the environment, climate and food safety and rapporteur for the directive, said:
“Let’s call this what it is: a coordinated attack by the Commission and the EPP against green legislation. The timing is no accident – this is a cynical attempt to kill important legislation that would protect consumers from greenwashing and ensure honest environmental claims. Ursula von der Leyen as Commission chief is betraying her mandate and turning the Commission into the EPP’s headquarters. That’s an institutional scandal.
“This is a clear case of the Commission abusing its power in a partisan way against European citizens’ best interests. Pulling it back just days before the inter-institutional agreement is reckless, baseless, and undemocratic.”
Laura Ballarin, S&D shadow rapporteur and spokesperson for the European Parliament’s committee on the internal market and consumer protection, said:
“The EPP's behaviour on this file, with the support of Commissioner Roswall and after months of negotiations, is outrageous. They have used unfounded excuses and lies, undermining the Parliament's mandate – which they voted for twice and which clearly excluded microenterprises from the directive's scope – contrary to their claims.
“The Green Claims Directive is designed to protect consumers from greenwashing and ensure honest environmental claims. Withdrawing it days before inter-institutional agreement isn’t just disrespectful to Parliament – it’s sabotage of EU democracy.”
