EU Empowering Consumers Directive Applies from September 27 — 400+ Enforcement Actions Already in 2026

The EU's Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive enters force across all 27 EU Member States on September 27, 2026 — just 30 days away — prohibiting generic environmental claims ("sustainable," "eco," "natural") without substantiation, restricting self-certified sustainability badges, and banning claims based solely on carbon offsetting. EU consumer protection authorities agreed a common enforcement approach in July, prioritising guidance and preventive steps before penalties, but making clear the rules apply from September 27 without a formal transition period. Against this backdrop, EcoAppraise's Global Greenwashing Enforcement Tracker documents more than 400 greenwashing-related enforcement actions globally in 2026 to date — with penalties, class actions, and criminal investigations all active across the EU, US, UK, Canada, and Australia. For law firms, the September 27 date creates an immediate client advisory obligation: environmental marketing claim inventories, removal of unsupported generic language, and documented evidence files for every material claim must be in place before the directive takes effect.