The Directive (EU) 2024/825, better known as the EmpCo Directive, aims to better inform consumers about the environmental characteristics of products and thereby promote sustainable purchasing decisions. The Directive not only provides guidance on how environmental claims should be formulated or graphically presented to ensure they are not misleading but also introduces a new harmonised label for product durability, supplemented by a harmonised notice on the legal guarantee.

The new labels apply to goods sold to consumers, including smartphones, laptops, and household appliances, effective 27 September 2026. Binding graphic templates, harmonised texts, and all design specifications can be found in the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1960.

Harmonised Notice on the Legal Guarantee

In the future, consumers must be informed via the harmonised label about the legal guarantee of at least two years applicable in the EU—clearly visible in the sales area or, in the case of online sales, on the website of the company selling the goods.

Harmonised Label of the Commercial Guarantee of Durability

If the producer offers a free of charge commercial guarantee of durability with a duration of more than two years, the seller must also inform the consumer of this. The label must be affixed by the seller near the product; in the case of online sales, for example, the label should be displayed next to the image of the product.

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