Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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78. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he can provide Ireland’s submission on the EU Directive to empower for the green transition, and the timeline and next steps as the Directive is transposed into Irish law over the next two years. [30118/24]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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On 30 March 2022, the EU Commission submitted a proposal for a Directive on empowering consumers for the green transition through better protection against unfair commercial practices and better information. This proposal was one of a package of initiatives set out in the New Consumer Agenda and the Circular Economy Action Plan and follows up on the European Green Deal. It aims to enhance consumer rights by amending two Directives that protect the interest of consumers, namely:

- The Unfair Commercial Practices Directive 2005/29/EC; and

- The Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU.

The Purpose of the proposal is to empower consumers and providing them with cost-saving opportunities is a key building block of the sustainable product policy framework. This is to be achieved through the improved participation of consumers in the circular economy, in particular by providing better information to consumers on the durability and reparability of certain products. It will also require stepping up the protection of consumers against unfair commercial practices that prevent sustainable purchases, such as:

· Greenwashing (i.e. misleading environmental claims);

· Early obsolescence (i.e. premature failures of goods); and

· The use of unreliable and non-transparent sustainability labels and information tools.

The commission conducted an Impact Assessment Report which was published on 30th March 2022 as regards empowering consumers for the green transition through better protection against unfair practices and better information.

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment ran a public consultation in early 2023 and received three responses from the Institute of Public Auctioneers and Valuers; ComReg; and Chambers Ireland. The feedback was supportive of the aim to enhance the public’s ability to assess the environmental claims associated with potential purchases.

Directive (EU) 2024/825 as regards empowering consumers for the green transition through better protection against unfair practices and through better information was published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) on 6th March 2024 and the transposition date is 27th March 2026.

The Department is preparing for the transposition of the Directive.