Climate Action Days: Round Table on Greenwashing and Green Intelligence

The second edition of the “Round Table on Greenwashing and Green Intelligence” . It will be attended by representatives of the Ministry of Climate and Environment, the European Commission, the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection, climate NGOs, representatives of consumer federations, business, and the media.

The aim is to continue and strengthen the debate already initiated on counteracting climate misinformation and greenwashing, strengthening the position of EU consumers vis-à-vis business, promoting the goals of the circular economy and clean industry, developing recommendations for the market and the regulator (UOKIK), promoting the principles of so-called Green Intelligence, i.e., the competence of modern consumers to make sustainable choices, distinguish between environmental and social messages formulated by companies, and understand eco-labels. The conference is being organized to mark the implementation into Polish law of the EU directive "on empowering consumers in the green transition through better protection against unfair practices and better information" (Directive 2024/825). It expands the catalog of so-called black market practices, which are unfair in all circumstances, with new items that will better combat greenwashing, which is a type of climate misinformation.

Amendments to the relevant laws are currently before the Council of Ministers and will soon be submitted to the Sejm. The directive is to be implemented into Polish law by March 2026. The proposed changes to EU consumer protection law were announced in the New Consumer Agenda and the Circular Economy Action Plan. The Commission wants to encourage consumers to change their behavior, as this is essential to achieving the climate and environmental goals set out in the European Green Deal. According to the results of a systemic review of online trading platforms conducted by the European Commission in January 2021, the phenomenon of pseudo-green marketing has gained significant momentum with growing consumer awareness and demand for environmentally friendly products.