EmpCo Directive · Deadline 27.09.2026

Environmental claims without proof.
Banned from 27.09.2026.

Directive (EU) 2024/825 changes, across the EU, what companies may say about the environmental properties of their products. The Klivantis course brings marketing and communications up to date.

AI-generated
applicable from27.09.2026
legal basisDir. (EU) 2024/825
transition periodNone
course lengthapprox. 1 hour
01 - The Change

New rules for environmental advertising, across the EU.

From 27 September 2026, new rules apply across the EU to advertising with environmental properties. The basis is Directive (EU) 2024/825, the so-called EmpCo Directive. It amends Directive 2005/29/EC on unfair commercial practices and is fully harmonising: definitions, prohibitions and proof requirements apply with the same content in every member state.

27.09.2026

The deadline

From this day, environmental claims and sustainability labels must comply with the new rules. The date is set out in Article 4(1) of the Directive.

No transition

Old stock included

Packaging and advertising material produced before the deadline are not exempt. There is no transition period.

EU-wide

One rule for every member state

Because the Directive is fully harmonising, definitions and prohibitions apply with the same content in every member state, regardless of national implementation progress.

Important clarification: The EmpCo Directive does not require training of employees, unlike Art. 4 of the EU AI Act. There is no training obligation and no record a company would need to keep about it. The requirements apply to the advertising claim itself: anyone advertising environmental properties must be able to substantiate them. For the AI-literacy obligation with a genuine training duty, see our topic page eu-ai-act.klivantis.ai.
02 - What Applies

Banned, allowed, and what it rests on.

Part of the new rules sit in Annex I of the Directive: these practices are unfair under all circumstances, without a case-by-case assessment. Another part sits in Articles 6 and 7 and requires a case-by-case assessment. The overview below orders the cases that matter most for everyday marketing.

Selection of the most relevant cases, not a complete list. Enforcement and penalty levels differ by member state.
No longer allowed from 27.09.2026What applies insteadLegal basis
Generic environmental claim (“environmentally friendly”, “eco” etc.) without proofSpecify the claim clearly on the same medium, or prove one of three recognised environmental performances (EU Ecolabel, recognised Type I ecolabel, best-in-class performance under other Union law)Annex I No. 4a
Climate-neutrality or reduction claim for a product, based on offsettingActual, specified emission reductions within the value chain; reporting on climate investments remains allowed as long as it is not linked to the productAnnex I No. 4c
Self-created or self-controlled sustainability labelLabel backed by an independently monitored certification scheme, or introduced by a public authorityAnnex I No. 2a
Future-performance promise (“climate neutral by 2035”) without an implementation planClear targets, published implementation plan, measurable milestones, regular independent verificationArt. 6(2)(d)
Environmental claim for the whole product when only a part is affected (e.g. the packaging)Clearly limit the claim to the affected partAnnex I No. 4b
Advertising a benefit that is irrelevant and does not follow from a product featureOnly advertise benefits that genuinely apply to the specific productArt. 6(2)(e)
Presenting a legal requirement as a special feature of one's own offerOnly claim performance that goes beyond the legal requirementAnnex I No. 10a
Continuing to advertise old stock (produced before the deadline) unchangedRemove or correct the claim, starting online firstArt. 4(1), no transition period
03 - Software for the Course

A course alone is not enough. A record is.

Even without a training obligation, many companies still want to document who on the marketing team has been informed. That is why Klivantis brings the same Team-Training-App that also covers the AI-literacy obligation: import the course, invite the team, issue the certificate.

Import the course directly

The ready-made EmpCo course can be loaded into the app in a few minutes, without creating your own course content.

TextImageExamCertificate

Proof instead of a spreadsheet

Every certificate carries a unique ID and a QR code. Who has completed the course can be evidenced at any time, even without a legal duty to do so.

Add your own courses

Alongside the EmpCo course, you can set up any number of other topics, from data protection to sales.

Role model

Five roles with role-based course visibility, from admin to trainee.

ADTRDIMAMI

Signed updates

Security updates, bug fixes and new features, provided and signed by Klivantis.

GDPR & security are the core, not an add-on.

The app stores only necessary user data and is built for verifiability, including deletion with instant anonymisation.

Encrypted passwordsData minimisationInstant anonymisationAudit-proof logAccessible (WCAG)GDPR-compliant
04 - Plans

Here is how the app gets to you.

Affordable even for small and medium-sized businesses. Klivantis quotes exact figures in the free consultation, tailored to size and needs.

Full control

Purchase

One-time · your server
  • Create your own courses
  • Klivantis courses importable
  • Tamper-proof certificates with QR check
  • Interface in 9 languages
  • Local installation or web server
  • No recurring costs
  • Price based on company size
  • Wizard installation in minutes
  • Installation on request
  • White-label variant available
  • Customisation possible
  • Signed updates by Klivantis
Request a quote

Subscription

Your server
Min. 12 months
  • Create your own courses
  • Klivantis courses importable
  • Tamper-proof certificates with QR check
  • Interface in 9 languages
  • Unlimited number of participants
  • Hosted on your company server
  • Wizard installation in minutes
  • Installation on request
  • Customisation possible
  • Predictable running costs
  • Signed updates included
  • Minimum term 1 year
Request a quote

Subscription

Klivantis hosting
Min. 3 months
  • Create your own courses
  • Klivantis courses importable
  • Tamper-proof certificates with QR check
  • Interface in 9 languages
  • Up to 25 participants
  • Your own Klivantis subdomain
  • No own server required
  • Ready to go immediately
  • Customisation possible
  • Automatic updates
  • Minimum term 3 months
Offer until 30.09.2026
from €199from €99per month
Request a quote

Individual courses

Klivantis platform
  • All Klivantis courses available
  • All courses in 9 languages
  • Interface in 9 languages
  • Complete courses directly online
  • Course certificate as proof
  • Permanent access
  • Ideal for self-employed & freelancers
  • Also for small teams
Offer until 30.09.2026
from €59from €29per course
Request a course
Offer until 30.09.2026Two courses free with your contract. If you sign up for the purchase or either subscription by 30.09.2026, you will receive the courses "Generative AI in Practice" and "EU AI Act for Employees" in a language of your choice free of charge.
Direct sales only. Every installation is individually signed by Klivantis, which is why there is no anonymous download. Before purchase you receive a personal, free consultation with a look inside the running system, for example via online meeting.
05 - Courses from Klivantis

The course for the deadline - and all the others.

The course "Changes to environmental claims in advertising from 27.09.2026" is written for marketing and communications, requiring no prior knowledge and no other course as a prerequisite. It can be imported on its own or combined with the full Klivantis catalogue.

Course cover Environmental Claims in Advertising: unprinted folding carton blanks of light cardboard on a work table (AI generated) By KlivantisAI-generated

Changes to environmental claims in advertising from 27 September 2026

What applies EU-wide to environmental advertising from that date: generic claims such as "environmentally friendly", offsetting-based climate claims, sustainability labels, future commitments and old stock without a transition period.

CertificateImportableEU lawMarketingDE · EN · FR · ES · IT · NL · PT · PL · BG
Course cover EU AI Act for Employees: person in a suit holding a magnifying glass in front of a glowing circle of stars reading EU AI Act (AI generated) By KlivantisAI generated

EU AI Act for Employees

What the AI Act demands of every company, which deadlines apply and what Art. 4 and Art. 50 mean concretely for everyday work.

CertificateImportableEU AI ActArt. 50DE · EN · FR · ES · IT · NL · PT · PL · BG
Course cover Generative AI in Practice: team at a meeting table around a holographic display, with whiteboards showing diagrams in the background (AI generated) By KlivantisAI generated

Generative AI in Practice

Using generative AI productively and responsibly in daily business - from text to imagery.

CertificateImportableAI literacyArt. 4DE · EN · FR · ES · IT · NL · PT · PL · BG
06 - FAQ

Answered briefly.

Do I have to train my employees on the EmpCo Directive?
No, the Directive does not require training. Unlike the EU AI Act, there is no training obligation here and no record a company would need to keep about it. The requirements apply to the advertising claim itself, not to attending a course.
From when do the new rules apply?
From 27 September 2026, across the EU and without a transition period. This also applies to packaging and advertising material produced before that date.
What happens to old stock that is already printed?
It is not automatically exempt. Authorities do take objective constraints such as stock levels and packaging cycles into account, but they expect demonstrable efforts to correct the claim, for example with stickers. Online claims come first, because they can be changed fastest.
Can I still advertise with my own sustainability label?
Only if the label is backed by a genuine certification scheme with independent monitoring, or was introduced by a public authority. A label a company awards and controls itself is no longer permitted from the deadline.
Can I still report on climate projects my company invests in?
Yes, as long as it does not turn into a claim about the environmental impact of a specific product. What is banned is not the investment or reporting on it, but an offsetting-based neutrality or reduction claim about the product.
What does the Klivantis course cover?
The course “Changes to environmental claims in advertising from 27.09.2026” explains in seven chapters what applies from the deadline, written for marketing and communications teams and requiring no legal background. It ends with a certificate and can be imported on its own or combined with the rest of the course catalogue.
Can I take the course without buying the app?
Yes, you can complete the course directly on Klivantis's own platform and receive your personal certificate afterwards. This route suits individual employees or small teams particularly well.
Does this apply outside Germany too?
Yes. The Directive is fully harmonising, so definitions and prohibitions apply with the same content in every member state. Only enforcement differs by country, in some through authorities, in others through competitors and associations.
07 - Contact

Questions about the course or the app? Let's talk.

Free and without obligation: we show you the Team-Training-App live and the EmpCo course in detail, for example via online meeting.

  • Personal consultation (DE/EN), no call centre
  • Live look at the course and the system
  • Individual offer for your company size
  • Also bookable individually for small teams
  • Book a consultation
  • Request a quote
  • Request a course
  • Other
Please enter a name.
Please enter a valid email address.
Please enter a message.