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New EU green claims rules are now in force: what does this mean for tourism?
7th October 2026
From 27 September 2026, new EU rules on environmental claims and sustainability labels apply across EU Member States.
The Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (EmpCo) introduces much stricter requirements around terms such as ‘green’, ‘eco friendly’ and ‘sustainable’, as well as the sustainability labels and certification schemes businesses use.
And this matters well beyond the EU. Tourism businesses and destinations marketing to EU consumers, or working with European tour operators and booking platforms, may increasingly need to provide evidence to support the sustainability claims they make.
Destinations, OTAs and tour operators also need to be particularly careful about claims they publish about other businesses. If you describe a hotel as ‘eco friendly’ or promote a business using a sustainability label, you need to understand what that claim means and the evidence behind it.
At Acorn, we have been following these changes closely, including through our recent work with VisitEngland.
In our latest blog, we look at what EmpCo means in practice, including:
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what you can and cannot say
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how to evidence your sustainability claims
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why you should review existing content
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what the rules mean for destinations and OTAs
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the role of certification and Travalyst
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practical steps you can take now
Read the full blog: The new EU green claims rules are here: what does this mean for tourism stakeholders outside of the EU?
If you need support reviewing your sustainability communications or understanding what the changes mean for your business or destination, contact Alice at alice@acorntourism.co.uk.
