In March 2020, the European Commission proposed a Directive, “empowering consumers for the green transition through better protection against unfair practices and better information,” which amends the EU Unfair Commercial Practices Directive and the Consumer Rights Directive. The proposal aims to provide better information on the durability and repairability of certain products to consumers before purchase and to improve the protection of consumers against unfair commercial practices relating to misleading environmental claims (“greenwashing”) and early product obsolescence.  As reported by Wiggin previously, the Directive contains several proposed changes to existing EU consumer law which do not solely apply to physical goods, such as information requirements, and unfair commercial practices, relating to software updates made to goods with digital elements, digital content and digital services.

On 17 January 2024, the European Parliament formally adopted the provisional agreement it reached with the Council in September 2023. The Council is expected to formally adopt the provisional agreement shortly. Member States must transpose the Directive into national law within two years, and the Directive will become enforceable within 30 months, from the date it comes into force.

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