With the ‘Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition’ Directive – EmpCo for short – the European Union aims to better protect consumers from misleading environmental claims. Environmental claims must be verifiable and substantiated on the basis of objective standards and criteria. In Germany, the new requirements are being implemented, amongst other things, through the Act against Unfair Competition (UWG).
What requirements will companies face? What will they still be allowed to describe as ‘environmentally friendly’, ‘green’, ‘sustainable’ or ‘climate-friendly’ in future? And what are the challenges when it comes to putting this into practice?
These are the topics to be addressed at the next edition of the Sustainability Forum on 7 October 2026 at 6 pm at the Wolfenbüttel Campus of Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences, organised in collaboration with the District of Wolfenbüttel.
Prof. Dr Oliver Kreutz and Prof. Dr Udo Becker (Faculty of Law at Ostfalia) will present the legislative changes. Dr Julia Norden (Agimus) will provide an insight into the practical implementation of the EmpCo Directive, and Alexandra Wallek (Sonepar) will share real-world examples from the electrical wholesaler Sonepar. The subsequent panel discussion will be moderated by Prof. Dr Kai Litschen (Faculty of Law).
The forum will take place during the nationwide campaign weeks ‘Every Plug Counts! Germany Collects E-Waste’. From 5 to 18 October 2026, local authorities, businesses, organisations and waste management companies will be raising awareness of the correct way to return waste electrical and electronic equipment in the run-up to International E-Waste Day on 14 October.
The campaign week will also be visible on site: a collection bin provided by the Wolfenbüttel District Waste Management Authority will be available at the venue. Suitable small electrical appliances can be handed in there as part of the campaign.
The Sustainability Forum will take place on Wednesday, 7 October, at 6 pm in Room Ro01 in Building R (Salzdahlumer Straße 46–48, 38302 Wolfenbüttel) and online via the BigBlueButton (BBB) video conferencing system.
Further information and registration details are available at: