# Can I label my export product carbon neutral for EU buyers if I buy offsets?

Canonical: https://senseible.earth/answers/can-i-call-my-export-product-carbon-neutral

Not on anything sold to EU consumers. Directive (EU) 2024/825, applying from 27 September 2026, bans claims that a product has a neutral, reduced or positive climate impact because of offsetting. You can still state measured facts, such as a product footprint or a cut in emissions, and buy credits as a separate contribution.

## What the directive bans

The directive amends the EU Unfair Commercial Practices Directive. Member States had to transpose it by 27 March 2026 and apply it from 27 September 2026, so the binding text is each country's national law.

- Claims that a product has a neutral, reduced or positive impact on the environment in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, where the claim rests on offsetting.
- Generic environmental claims, such as eco-friendly or climate friendly, unless the trader can show recognised excellent environmental performance.
- Sustainability labels that are not based on a certification scheme or set by a public authority.

## Does it reach an Indian exporter

The rules cover business to consumer practices in the EU. A claim printed on packaging, a hang tag or a product page seen by EU shoppers is caught, whoever wrote it. Your EU buyer carries the legal risk, so expect buyers to strip such claims from your artwork and contracts.

A claim made only to the buyer in a business to business document is outside this directive, but buyers often apply the same rule to avoid it leaking onto retail packaging.

## What you can say instead

- The measured product carbon footprint, with the standard, boundary and year, for example cradle to gate to ISO 14067.
- A specific reduction against a stated base year, backed by your own data, such as a switch from furnace oil to gas.
- That you funded a named number of retired credits, as a contribution, without saying the product is neutral because of them.

## Before you print anything

1. Remove neutral, net zero or climate positive wording tied to offsets from labels and product pages for the EU.
2. Keep the calculation, evidence and standard behind every number you show.
3. Ask the buyer for their claims policy and the target country, since national transposition texts differ in detail.

## What Senseible does here

Senseible gives you document-backed energy and fuel figures that support factual footprint and reduction statements. It does not review marketing claims for legal compliance, and it does not sell offsets for neutrality labels.

- [Greenwashing self-audit checklist](https://senseible.earth/climate-intelligence/msme-greenwashing-self-audit-checklist-2026)
- [Net zero vs carbon neutral](https://senseible.earth/answers/net-zero-vs-carbon-neutral)
- [ISO 14068 carbon neutral requirements](https://senseible.earth/answers/iso-14068-carbon-neutral-requirements)
- [Product carbon footprint calculator](https://senseible.earth/calculators/product-carbon-footprint)

Sources: [Directive (EU) 2024/825, empowering consumers for the green transition (EUR-Lex)](https://eur-lex.europa.eu), [ISO 14067:2018, Carbon footprint of products (iso.org)](https://www.iso.org)

Last reviewed 2026-10-15. Applies from 27 September 2026 through national laws; check the transposition text in the buyer's country.