2026-04-15T06:58:49Z tag:destinet.eu,2026-04-15:/News/2026/4 https://destinet.eu/misc_/EnviroWindows/Site.gif ECOTRANS Tourism2030 tag:destinet.eu,2026-04-14:/News/2026/4/sustainable-tourism-certificates-preparing-for-empco 2026-04-14T05:43:03Z Herbert Hamele Herbert Hamele

<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><span style="font-size: 12pt;">April 13th, 2026, </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">by Herbert Hamele/ECOTRANS</span></em></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>EmpCo against Greenwashing</strong></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt;">After the 27^th of September 2026 private certification systems must comply with the key requirements of the EU Empowering Consumers Directive against greenwashing, otherwise they will not be accepted any more as source for the B to C marketing of green claims. </span></strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">To be valid under the EU directive, certification systems must meet five key requirements:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Public, clearly defined standards</span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Independent third-party verification</span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Ongoing monitoring and enforcement</span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Transparent governance structures</span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Accurate and verifiable claims</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></strong><br /></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Where do the seals stand today?</strong></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">How far do the international and national certificates systems for sustainable tourism already operate or aim to operate according to the EmpCo? </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">ECOTRANS has asked 24 leading national and international certificates. The results were presented on the 26th March to more than 250 participants at the German Webinar Series on “EmpCo”, organised by the <em>German Tourism Association. </em>21 of the 24 certificates declared that they already operate or aim to operate until September according to the EmpCo. These “Pro EmpCo” systems - together with public certifications like the EU Ecolabel - currently have certified and publish on the <a href="../../../market-place/green-travel-maps">Travel Green Planet Maps</a><strong> </strong>about 13,000 accommodation businesses in Europe, including 1,600 in Germany.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em></em></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><img src="../../../images/proempco-certificates-march2026.jpg" style="width: 400px; height: 404px; margin: 0px 0px; vertical-align: undefined;" width="400" height="404" /><br /></strong><em><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Recommended certificates on the <a href="../../../resources/tools/certification-quickfinder"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Certification Quickfinder</span><strong></strong></a><strong></strong></span></span></em><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>More certificates?</strong></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The list of "Pro EmpCo" certificates on the Certification Quickfinder is continuously being updated by ECOTRANS. Interested certification bodies are invited to declare to ECOTRANS their conformity with the key requirements of the Empowering Consumers directive on the <a href="../../../resources/tools/certification-quickfinder/empco-declaration-certificates-template/download/en/2/DECLARATION%20Certificates%20EmpCo%20-template%20march%202026.docx">EmpCo Declaration for Certificates (template)</a>. <br /></span><br /></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>"Pro EmpCo" certified tourism: source for monitoring and marketing</strong></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">For destinations, marketing and promotion organisations the list of “Pro EmpCo” certificates and the listings of their certified businesses are very helpful: for monitoring their resilience and green transition as well as for supporting the market access of credibly certified hotels, camping sites, and other certified tourism enterprises.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></strong><br /></p> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td> <p><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt;">DOWNLOAD: </span></strong><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></strong></p> </td> <td> <p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="../../../who-who/civil-society-ngos/ecotrans/publications/empo-directive-where-do-seals-stand-today-herbert-hamele-ecotrans">PRESENTATION "EmpCo Directive: Where do the seals stand today?"</a></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>CONTACT:</strong> </span></td> <td><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="mailto:herbert.hamele@ecotrans.de"></a><a href="mailto:herbert.hamele@ecotrans.de">herbert.hamele@ecotrans.de</a></span><em><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="mailto:herbert.hamele@ecotrans.de"></a><a href="mailto:herbert.hamele@ecotrans.de"></a></span></em></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Webinarreihe </strong><strong>des DTV: Präsentationen und Videos:</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.nachhaltiger-tourismus.info/de/qualifizierung/empco-webinar" target="_new"></a></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.nachhaltiger-tourismus.info/de/qualifizierung/empco-webinar" target="_new">EmpCo-Richtlinie: Neue Anforderungen an die Kommunikation von Nachhaltigkeit im Tourismus</a></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="../../../who-who/civil-society-ngos/ecotrans/publications/empo-directive-where-do-seals-stand-today-herbert-hamele-ecotrans"></a></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p> <p><br /></p>