European Commission launches infringement procedures against 20 member states

On Thursday, the European Commission initiated infringement procedures against 20 member states, including Cyprus and Greece, for failing to transpose Directive (EU) 2024/825 into national law. The other affected nations are Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Spain, France, Croatia, Latvia, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Finland, and Sweden. This directive aims to empower consumers for the green transition by improving the reliability and transparency of environmental claims and sustainability labels. It mandates that businesses provide better information regarding product durability, repairability, and legal guarantee rights, while discouraging premature obsolescence and greenwashing. Although the deadline for implementation is March 27, 2026, the Commission noted that these states have not yet communicated the full transposition of the directive. Consequently, the Commission has issued formal letters of notice as the first stage of the infringement process. Each of the 20 involved countries now has a two-month period to provide a response and demonstrate compliance. Failure to provide a satisfactory explanation may lead the Commission to escalate the legal proceedings.